The Fighting Kind
by laloga
Summary: This is the story of how Captain Rex fell in love and why he deserted the army. Rex/OC.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: I blame _**Jade-Max**_ and her amazing _Captain and Commander_ series for spawning a plot bunny that absolutely refused to leave me alone. 140k+ words later this fic happened. _

_Most of the first chapter springboards off of ideas that Jade presented in C & C, (Chapter 3: _Boys Are the Same_, and Chapter 8: _Fallout_), as well as the Season Four episode "_A Friend In Need,_" and the four-part Umbara arc, but the rest of the story is the product of my crazy brain that simply had to know "what if...?" _

_Additionally, I'm in Jade's debt because she graciously offered to beta this fic; her feedback and insight were a tremendous boon, and this story would not be what it is without her input. _

_Caveat: this is _not_ a Rexsoka, so if that's what you're looking for, you won't find it here. However, there is much romance, fun, angst, and drama ahead, with a bit of adventure sprinkled in, and I sincerely hope that you enjoy the ride. _

_In case it's not obvious, I don't own Star Wars and make no money off of this story. _

_Remember: reviews and feedback are _always_ welcome. :)_

_Special thanks to Broken-Wolf on deviantART for letting me use her artwork for the story cover. :D  
_

* * *

_The title is taken from Keane's "A Bad Dream," on the album,_ Under the Iron Sea.

* * *

**The Fighting Kind**

_Why do I have to fly,_

_Over every town, up and down the line?_

_And I'll die in the clouds above;_

_And you that I defend, I do not love._

_Where will I meet my fate?_

_Baby, I'm a man and I was born to hate._

_When will I meet my end?_

_In a better time, you could be my friend._

_I wake up; it's a bad dream,_

_No one on my side. I was fighting,_

_But I just feel too tired to be fighting._

_Guess I'm not the fighting kind._

* * *

**Chapter One**

Despite what you may think, this is not a love story.

It is not a defense of my actions, nor is it a plea for you to understand why I made the decision that I made. Leaving the GAR was perhaps the most difficult choice I've ever faced in my tenure as captain of Torrent Company, of the now-infamous 501st Legion, but it was not a choice that was made in a vacuum. It did not happen suddenly, nor did I make it lightly, but I suppose some explanation is needed.

So I've decided to set down my story. Everything is as accurate as I can make it, and those events that are not from my perspective were carefully notated from the person who experienced them.

I would like to add that I feel that I made the right decision; it is, after all, my choice, my fate, my future. My life. Perhaps you would have done the same, were you in my shoes; perhaps not. To be honest, I don't much care about that, any longer.

Whether or not my reasons for desertion are satisfactory, I leave to your discretion.

* * *

_During the second year of the Clone Wars..._

The only constant is change.

It was an unalterable fact of which Captain Rex was well-aware, but his comprehension didn't necessarily lead into acceptance, not always. For nearly two years he'd served alongside the Jedi, and he'd come to know – if not entirely understand – their behavior and actions. On Kamino, he'd been taught that the Jedi were infallible, god-like in their superiority, and that their orders were to be obeyed without question or hesitation. For a long time, this was not an issue.

The issue – such as it was – sprang up rather unexpectedly, one day after he came across Ahsoka – Commander Tano, rather – seated alone in the observation deck of the _Resolute_. The ensuing conversation was...enlightening, on many levels.

Rex learned that Ahsoka – and she was "Ahsoka," not "Commander" dejected as she was in this moment – had...feelings for a young man named Lux Bonteri. It was to be expected, he supposed. She was a young woman; from what he knew of them – and it wasn't much – they experienced these things, these "crushes," Jedi or not. Furthermore, the conversation showed him, as if he needed to be shown, that her heart was bigger than it should have been. That she...longed for things that were not necessarily hers to long for.

Apparently they had that in common.

It was here, during this conversation, when he realized that his own propensity for the Togruta Padawan was not a passing fancy, or the casual male eye lingering over an attractive female form. No, he was in trouble, because this was the first time that Rex had a name for his feelings about her: a crush, she had called it.

He didn't like the word in that context; it felt too violent and oppressive for something that was, by all accounts, harmless. However, the longer he worked with her, the more time he spent in her company, the more occasions he had to force his eyes not to linger on the graceful sweep of her montrals or her lithe-but-feminine frame, he realized that the word was apt. A crush...it could do much damage, and his own feelings would not be the only casualty should things go awry.

Above all other things, Ahsoka was a Jedi. Rex was a clone. There were certain things that, no matter how much he might wish otherwise, would never happen between them, so for some time he contented himself with the fact that all he could do was watch her from afar and _imagine_. Besides, her eyes were for another, this "Lux Bonteri" person, and he was not willing to try and convince her otherwise. It wasn't his place.

But despite these things that he told himself every day, Rex still _looked_ at her, still caught flashes of her smile and her sienna skin on the fading edges of his dreams each night.

Well, then, he was adaptable. Perhaps nothing could ever come of their connection besides friendship, but that was okay – more than okay, actually. Rex had few people he could truly call "friend," and gradually he realized that he treasured what he and Ahsoka had too much to risk jeopardizing it with his selfish desires. After some trial and error he learned that he couldn't banish the feelings, so he tried to live with them, treat them with the same regard as one would treat one's shadow – a constant presence that could be ignored.

It worked, sometimes.

Sometimes, not so much.

After Umbara, everything changed again. This time, the upheaval was sudden and swift, and left him with the dangerous feeling of being lost in a turbulent sea; even as he decided to shutter the memories of the campaign away, taking what lessons he could and forgetting the other things, the darker things, she came to him to try and shed light on what had happened. She offered herself up, and he spoke harshly to her for the first time in his life, but it was necessary for him. Ahsoka knew that because she knew him better than anyone else.

When the conversation ended, he was left exhausted and exhilarated – all because of her. If she knew the effect she had on him...no, he decided, she didn't know. Couldn't. He was careful, especially around the Jedi, and was able to keep his thoughts to himself among the Force-users. If he hadn't been so...wrung, he'd have admitted it to her, then and there, because what did any of it matter? His life was a construct, a facade of control that he fooled himself into believing he held. Umbara had proven that. Krell had shoved the evidence in his face.

And she, Ahsoka, had tried to gently assuage the sting. He appreciated it, he really did, but he also knew it would take more than what she'd offered to heal him, if indeed anything ever would.

Anyway, she was his friend, no matter how beautiful, no matter how dazzling and fierce and special, no matter how kind. After Umbara, after she came to him and tried to offer comfort, he understood for certain that he needed her and at first he was unsure of how he felt about such a thing.

He figured it out, soon enough.

Not good.

* * *

_Immediately following the events of Umbara..._

"Anytime, anywhere," Ahsoka said to him, conviction in her voice. They'd left the tower and were on their way back to the _Resolute_, the last ones out of Torrent Company to leave the shadowy world. "I'll always be here for you – just like you are for me. Count on it."

"It's good to hear that," he admitted as the dirt of Umbara crunched beneath his boots and his bucket – clipped to his belt – bumped against his thigh. "Though I must admit, I wish you'd been here instead of..."

As they boarded the waiting gunship, he trailed off, not saying the name because he _couldn't_ – not right now – and because she knew. Of course she knew. Indeed, a moment later her head dropped and she gave a slow, solemn nod. "Me too, Rexter."

When the transport hummed under their feet and he realized that he was well and truly leaving this place, he glanced at her again, noting that her expression had become rather guarded, as if she was deliberately trying to appear impassive. At his look, her eyes flicked to his, the motion making him understand that behind her veneer of forced calm she was apprehensive about something.

What it could be, he didn't know, but the idea that he could speak of something other than Umbara for a while was a welcome relief.

"Ahsoka," he said after a moment. "You're more than capable of handling a campaign like this. Why didn't they send you in after General Skywalker was called away?"

It was true; she was practically a Jedi Knight, at least in his eyes, though admittedly he was probably quite biased. After a beat she took a breath and glanced his way. "I was pulled from the space-battle and sent on another mission," she said slowly, fixing her eyes on the spot between his eyebrows. "It started on Mandalore, but wound up on Carlac."

"Carlac," he repeated, mentally searching for the system. "Outer Rim, right? Lots of snow and not much else, if I'm correct."

She chuckled and her hands idly reached up to rub her upper arms, as if she was still cold. "Yeah. It was pretty...barren."

Still, her tone was not right. Partly out of an urge to have something else – _anything_ else – on his mind right now, and partly out of his desire to understand her problems because they were _hers_, Rex cleared his throat. "Something happened."

"A lot of things happened," she replied, then proceeded to inform him. Rex felt his jaw tighten with fury at the words "stunned" and "Death Watch," but her tone had taken on the almost lyrical one it did when she was giving a briefing, which alerted him to the fact that none of that – inexplicably – was what was bothering her.

Even so, he couldn't stop himself from adding his two creds as the larty's engines droned in the background. "Please tell me that you at least chewed Bonteri out for practically handing you over to those Death Watch scum."

At this she gave a quiet chuckle and a nod, but did not answer in earnest, which sent off an internal alarm within him, harsh as any klaxon. Yes, there was definitely something _else_ that she wasn't saying outright. Despite the feeling of warning, he felt an odd slip of relief as the conversation appeared to be steering even further away from his own experiences on the world of shadows that even now was growing more and more distant.

Rex waited a beat for her to elaborate. When she didn't, he kept his voice soft but firm. "Ahsoka."

As he said her name, he put his hand on her arm; even though he wore his glove and even though her arm was covered they were closer than they'd ever been, and Umbara felt that much farther away. Like before, she did not respond immediately, which was unlike her. Rather, her dark lips pursed and she seemed to internally debate something; as she did so, he felt a twist of foreboding in his gut, the kind that normally preceded a really terrible clanker-fight.

It increased when she finally did find her voice. "It's nothing, Rexter."

But he knew her too well to be fooled by the slight teasing edge of her nickname for him, and fixed a knowing look, the kind he knew she wouldn't ignore, in her direction.

His tactic seemed to work, for she acquiesced.

Sort of.

"It's just..." She winced, then exhaled through her nose. "Teenager stuff. Silly stuff. Nothing worth mentioning...especially not after everything you've just been through."

"Anytime, anywhere," he replied, reiterating her own words. When she opened her mouth – either to object or to deflect his concern – Rex shook his head, because if nothing else she had taught him this much. "Isn't that what...friends are for?"

As it lowered aboard the _Resolute_, the transport shivered under their feet and she did not answer. She did not answer as the blast doors opened and they stepped out onto the hangar, which was quiet, everyone having already retired to the barracks for some much-needed rest. She did not answer as they made their way across the hangar, towards the interior of the ship.

Finally she spoke. "It's just that...you know Lux Bonteri?"

"Hard to forget the name of the guy who kidnapped you and brought you to Death Watch." He tried and failed to keep the irritation out of his tone. Force help that little _di'kut_ if Rex ever met him in person.

Ignoring his comment, she exhaled. "Well, we kissed." She took another breath, as if she was heedless of the way his heart had stopped beating at the word 'kissed,' then cast him a careful look that told him otherwise.

Kissed. She kissed Lux Bonteri. His stomach plummeted to his knees, but he refused to let his discomfort make itself known, because her expression alerted him to the fact that she was bracing herself for such a reaction. Instead, he exhaled and tried to keep his voice light. "And?"

Her eyes widened in confusion, so he elaborated, while dearly wishing he'd been wearing his bucket so that he could retreat into the world of his HUD, the only world, apparently, that he understood. "I'm no expert on these matters, but I can't see how there's much wrong with...kissing."

"Oh, no," she said, her montrals flushing. "No, I guess not...but there's more..."

More? _More_ than kissing? One very specific thing came to his mind, something that he did _not _want to have in mind when he was also thinking about _her_ and the other fellow.

Perhaps catching onto his line of thinking, Ahsoka flushed even harder. "No, Rex. Not _that._"

He could see that she was trembling now, but he repressed the sudden, inexplicable urge to take her into his arms; his stomach had sunk further and further with each of her words, but still he held himself back. Instead he placed a light hand on her shoulder and tried to think of what else about the ordeal on Carlac could have her so concerned.

They were alone, just the two of them and the shadows of the hangar; he wanted to believe that it was because of this that it was an effort to speak. "Does it have something to do with General Skywalker finding out?"

Her head shook rapidly; the words that followed were even more stuttered than before."No. I'm in trouble because I can't stop thinking about him. Actually, I kind of miss him...I _know_ I shouldn't, but I do. And I just..."

Had this been any other conversation, that queasy feeling in his gut would have perhaps been anticipatory. "Just what?"

When her brilliant blue eyes met his, it was a sucker-punch right in his heart. "Because I like him, Rex. More than I should. And I don't know what to do about it."

_Yeah. Neither do I._

* * *

_Three days after the Battle of Umbara..._

"Rex."

He glanced up; Fives was leaning one arm against his bunk, looking down with a slightly worried expression, uncharacteristic for the ARC. Rex lifted his brows in response, and Fives thumbed in the direction of the door to the barracks. "You hungry? Jesse and I are going to step outside the base and grab a bite at that cantina the others were going on about."

In Rex's lap was one of his DC-17s, the other was set beside his leg on the bunk, resting atop the blanket; he'd been cleaning them, trying to think of nothing at all and failing. It was only three days after Torrent had returned to the _Resolute_ from Umbara; although he'd seemed more distracted than Rex had seen him before, General Skywalker, upon his return to the _Resolute_, had ordered that everyone take some time off and "regroup."

The _Resolute_ had been stationed near Mimban for a few days, and Rex was aware that many of the his men had taken advantage of the fact; there was a small GAR base on-planet, most notably equipped with a cantina of a sort, which was probably where most of his men were located. He didn't blame them for wanting to stretch their legs, but he wasn't in any mood to socialize.

Fives, however, didn't seem to give a kriff.

"You can't sit here moping all day, you know," he added, resting his other hand on his belt and giving the captain a knowing look. "You have to get out there and live your life. You only get one, right?"

They were off-duty and thereby permitted to leave the ship if they wanted, but some part of Rex's mind registered the fact that his brother had been taking part in similar activities – allowed or not – more and more often of late, to the point where he was getting a reputation among the 501st as being something of a maverick. Aside from the incident with the Umbaran fighters, there'd been a few instances of Fives acting out, which – while not uncommon for the gregarious clone, or even for an ARC trooper – were frequent enough to cause Rex to wonder if that was how his brother had chosen to handle the stress of Umbara.

Actually, if he thought about it, Fives had been _off_ since the Citadel. Since Echo.

While he chose not to judge his brother's actions, Rex had no desire to be a part of them – even the permissible ones – at this time, so he sighed and shook his head. "Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

The ARC grinned, long and slow in his amiable way. "Neither am I, but this is a special opportunity to mingle with some civvies, and I don't want to let _any _opportunity pass me by, anymore."

With this, Fives grabbed Rex's arm and hauled him up bodily, oblivious to the glare in the captain's eyes at the intrusion into his personal space.

"Come _on_, Rex," he added with a sigh. "Just humor me, okay? Fine, you're not hungry. Have a drink with me and Jesse – even Kix said he'd stop by, later – and just try to relax for once. I'll even wait for you to change into your armor."

Glancing down, Rex took in his off-duty fatigues – navy blue, comfortable but simple – and shrugged. Fives was one persistent _di'kut_ when he wanted to be, and Rex didn't feel like arguing the issue at this point.

"Fine," he said, bending back down to grab and holster his weapons in his belt, which he usually wore even when not dressed in his armor. "One drink. And you're paying."

Fives beamed at him as they made their way to the exit. "Great. Then I'll let you come back and mope all you want."

"I'm _not_ moping,"

"Sulking, then."

Rex exhaled through his nose and shot the ARC a warning look that Fives ignored; the entire conversation clued him in to the fact that Fives was in _that _kind of mood, which meant it was useless to argue, so the captain leveled a not-so-light jab at his brother's side. Fives, naturally, laughed at him.

When they reached the corridor that would take them to the hangar, Jesse was waiting. "Good," the tattooed clone said in greeting as Rex and Fives approached him. "I convinced Throttle to wait around and fly us down – but I had to promise him a drink in return."

Fives grinned and looped his arms around his brothers' shoulders as they stepped out. "Come on brothers: let's move out."

* * *

_Welcome to the new story! Look for an update every Monday and Friday; we have about 40-something ahead of us. _

_Please, please let me know what you think! I experienced a lot of apprehension about this fic for many reasons, so feedback is _greatly_ appreciated._

_Next time: the introduction of the new OC! _

_See ya Friday! :)_

_Hey, if you're going to Celebration VI in August and are interested in a fanfic writers meet-up, PM me! A few other authors and I are thinking of organizing one at the convention. :)_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two **

The mug of ale was warm and tasteless, but even if it had been otherwise, Rex would have had no desire to feign interest in the drink. Luckily, the room was so crowded that no one else seemed to have any inclination to interact with him, for which he was thankful. Seated between Fives and Jesse at the bar of the dim little cantina, he let the cacophony of voices roll off his back and tried to keep his expression neutral.

Fives had been wrong. He _wasn't_ moping; he was thinking. There was so much to think about, more than he figured the long-necks ever supposed any clone would be able to wrap his mind around. Shadows tugged at the hem of his thoughts, insistent and demanding his attention, for all that he tried to ignore them; if he closed his eyes, he heard Krell's mocking laugh interspersed with the shouts of dying brothers.

And of course, there was Ahsoka.

"_Because I like him, Rex." _

Of course she did; Bonteri was vastly more appropriate, should she even go down that road. Rex knew the Jedi Order's edicts on attachment for its members, but he also knew that it was a rule that was often bent, if not outright broken; he'd had a long-running suspicion that General Skywalker had a sort of attachment to Senator Amidala, though so far he'd seen nothing to confirm any true connection between them. Perhaps Skywalker's feelings were one-sided. A crush.

Rex exhaled and stared at the contents of his mug.

Beside him, Fives was talking a klick a minute, which was hardly unusual. "Now, _she's_ easy on the eyes, isn't she?"

Jesse twisted in his chair to look, but was immediately halted by a cuff on his shoulder, courtesy of the ARC. "Kriff, don't be so obvious, Jess."

"How am I supposed to see who you're talking about if I can't look?" Jesse grumbled, taking a swallow of his ale.

Fives waggled his brows. "Finesse, _vod. _Don't worry, brother...I have it in spades. We ARCs are gifted in ways that you _regular_ guys can only imagine."

"And so humble, too," Jesse snorted, shaking his head even as he laughed.

Leaning forward so that he was only inches away from Rex, Fives dropped the pitch of his voice. "That table to your left, Jess. See? Three of them, and I recognize them, too: they're civilian contractors on the _Resolute_."

At this, Jesse flushed and toyed with the bottom of his glass. "Know any of them personally?"

"They're new to me," Fives replied. "The one with brown hair's a bit plain for my taste. The blonde's not bad...but that Twi'lek...she's a beauty."

Beside Rex, Jesse shifted quickly in his chair, as if making to scratch his shoulder-blade, then twisted back around to Fives. "I like the blonde, myself."

There was a moment of quiet while the three clones sipped their drinks, then Fives cleared his throat. "Actually, I think the brunette likes blonds as well." The words were followed by a slight jab in Rex's side. "As in, she keeps checking you out, Captain."

This sparked a reaction from Rex, who managed a subtle glance behind him; indeed, there was a trio of females that he vaguely recognized as independent contractors on the _Resolute. _

Often the Republic contracted out jobs to civilians that were too specialized for clones. The pay rate was high, as was the danger – so he'd heard. Well, the pay part, anyway. The danger he was familiar enough with on his own. Generally the civvies kept to themselves; in fact, most of their work areas and living quarters hardly intersected at all with that of the clones', so seeing them in person was a rare opportunity.

One that Fives seemed intent on making the most of.

"She keeps looking over here," the ARC said with another nudge as Rex glanced back down at his mug. "You should buy her a drink."

"Not interested," was the swift reply, though Rex cast his mind back to the brown-haired woman and tried to figure out if she was pretty. It was impossible to say, really, as he'd only gotten the briefest glance and the cantina was dim. Quite possibly he was feeling the effects of the ale, despite the fact that he'd hardly touched it. "Actually, I think we should leave."

"No way," Fives said, lifting his hand in a gesture to the barkeep. "I'm finally getting a chance to stretch my legs, and I'm going to take it." When the bartender – an Ithorian – approached, the ARC ordered a round. "Six Toydarian Teases. Three for us and three for the trio of ladies across the room."

As six small glasses – three empty and three filled with an ominous green liquid – were set in front of the clones, Jesse shot Fives an appraising look. "These aren't cheap, Fives. Where'd you get the money for this, anyway?"

Fives picked up his drink and studied it, but didn't drink. "I have my ways." He twisted in his seat and shot the women a smile, tossing in a casual salute for good measure. When he turned back, he seemed inordinately pleased, and Rex felt Jesse shift on the stool.

"What is it?"

Again, Fives cast his brothers a grin, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "They're coming over."

* * *

_Moments ago..._

Brenna Damaris lifted her brow as the Bothan server approached the table she was sharing with two other civilian contractors on the _Resolute_: her roommate, Marliss Menin, a hyperdrive specialist, and Hypatia – Brenna hadn't caught her surname, yet – who worked with Marliss. Six glasses, three of which were empty and three of which contained a bright green liquid, were set down before the three women.

In the six months that Brenna had worked aboard the _Resolute, _she'd learned that it wasn't an uncommon occurrence for men to send her either of her companions drinks when they went out in this fashion, but she'd had a long day – actually a long stretch of days, weeks, months – and she was tired, too tired to pretend she wasn't. Perhaps twenty-four was too young to feel this kind of weariness, but some days she wasn't sure anymore what was normal and what was a product of the tangled mess that was her life.

"Wow, they don't play around, do they?" Marliss said, tilting her head in the direction of the bar, where the three clones who'd sent them the drinks were seated. Even in the dim light of the cantina, Marliss' pale blonde hair glowed; when she looked back at the others, she was smiling, which Brenna knew meant that she'd already made up her mind. "What do you want to do?"

Hypatia's teal skin contrasted nicely with the ivory top she'd selected for the evening, and she fingered one of the small glasses thoughtfully. "Toydarian Tease. It's not too strong, at least, as long as you drink it right. But I don't know..."

"What about you, Bren?"

Brenna cast her eyes towards the clones again; she knew she'd been doing it too much, but she couldn't really help the way her gaze kept getting drawn to the fellow in the center. Maybe it was the blond hair...

_No_, she thought with a slight shake of her head. _There's no way I can travel down _that_ hyperlane again._ Instead, she glanced back at her roommate, who was watching her with the air of someone who knew what was coming and was not pleased by it, but was trying to act otherwise.

"I'm not thirsty, Mar." As if to prove a point she shifted both glasses aside, the empty and the full, and folded her hands on the table.

Marliss huffed and leaned back against the booth. "It's tradition to share this drink, you know. Getting one sent to you is like an invitation to chat...we shouldn't be rude."

"Oh, no," Hypatia laughed, shaking her head so that her _lekku _shifted. "We wouldn't want to be rude." However, she remained seated, and Brenna was secretly pleased; it would be much easier to keep declining if she had backup.

But Marliss seemed determined to put a halt to any deliberation as she pursed her lips and studied her table-mates, then shrugged. "Well, I'm going over. You two can sit here like bumps on logs all night, but to me, the entire point of coming out was to get off that kriffing ship and have a bit of fun – and _not_ be covered in engine grease, for once. Besides, we never get to see them when we're all on duty. Aren't you curious?"

_Curious_. Yes, Brenna supposed she was, which was entirely the problem. Apprehension curled within her gut, but as usual it was no match for her _curiosity_.

While the conflicting feelings warred within her, she and Hypatia exchanged glances, which made Marliss sigh. "It's not a marriage proposal, ladies. It's one drink. Besides, it'd be silly not to thank them, at least."

"Fine," Hypatia said, ignoring Marliss' look of delight as she slid out of the booth. "But _just_ to thank them, okay? I don't feel like fending off any horny soldiers tonight."

As she stood, Marliss glanced at Brenna, who'd remained seated, still toying with the empty glass. "Come on, Bren," she said in a quiet voice. "It's not going to hurt anything if you say 'hi' to him, is it?" When Brenna opened her mouth to object, Marliss rolled her eyes. "I've seen how you've been watching him since he walked in the door. Just come with us, say hello, ask him his number and rank, then leave. Small talk is harmless."

"To you, maybe," Brenna replied, though she couldn't help but cast another look at the three men, two of whom were very obviously trying to appear as if they were _not_ interested in the movements of her companions. Despite herself, a small smile crept to her face; most clones were terrible at dissembling, and the ones she'd met seemed incapable of acting as nonchalant as she suspected they wanted to appear. They were so young in many ways.

In other ways...

Well, she knew otherwise, and she knew better than most.

Still, while she'd been on the _Resolute _long enough to make friends, she'd done a pretty terrible job of it so far, and Brenna figured such a thing needed change, considering she had an good bit of time left in this posting.

So while she _wanted_ to leave the cantina, go to her and Marliss' cabin to check and see if there were any new messages from her young daughter, Brenna gave a deep exhale through her nose and tried to set aside her misgivings.

As the others had done, she selected the glasses and shifted her way out of the booth. No matter that she did so without a word or a smile, Marliss shot her a pleased look, and the three of them headed over to the bar.

* * *

His name was Rex.

"Brenna Damaris," she said, extending her hand to shake his. As she always did, she made eye contact and made sure that her grip was firm; she was pleased to see that Rex did not look away, though he did shift on his barstool as if he wasn't entirely comfortable at the moment.

To their left, Fives – an ARC trooper by his own introduction – immediately launched into an animated story to Hypatia, who seemed more interested than she'd let on at their table a few minutes ago. On Brenna's right side, Marliss was speaking to a shy, tattooed clone – Jesse, if Brenna recalled correctly. All around them, the cantina was ripe with conversation and the clinking of glasses; mostly she could see clones, but there were a fair number of other civilians like herself present. However, of all the folks gathered, only she and her companions had sought to mingle with the soldiers.

Fives reached a particularly exciting part of his story and the pitch of his voice rose several decibels; she winced. She'd been fighting a headache all day, and this wasn't helping. No one had actually imbibed their drinks yet, as the Toydarian Tease was meant to aerate for a few minutes before consumption, thus furthering the need to converse. Despite this, Rex seemed to be in no mood to chat, and she was tired...she really should leave, maybe go right to bed. She shouldn't stay here, that much was certain.

But something kept her in the seat, casting as subtle a glance as she could manage towards the blond man seated beside her; as she watched his shoulders tense and his jaw tighten under her gaze, she realized that he was about as displeased with the situation as she was. But she thought – hoped? – that his displeasure wasn't centered on her, for his eyes kept shifting towards the exit and when they fell on her there was no irritation.

She had a sudden, irrational urge to try and set him at ease, if only to alleviate the awkwardness of the forced social interaction. "Did Fives drag you out here?"

At her words, he shot her a startled glance, then seemed to think for a moment as he formulated a reply, which turned out to be a swift nod, followed by a slight furrowing of his brow. "How did you...?"

Brenna tilted her head back towards Marliss, who'd gotten quiet Jesse to speak in a normal tone. "Roommates, you know? They don't take no for an answer."

The briefest flash of a smile crossed his face as he shook his head slowly. "No, they don't."

There was quiet for a moment while she searched for something else to say while continuing to surreptitiously study him. Normally she could figure out a clone's rank easily, but without armor he was difficult for her to place; there was none of the self-assurance that officers usually carried, but nor did she think he was a shiny. He didn't strike her as shy. Again she thought he just didn't want to be here.

Finally she cleared her throat, causing him to look at her again. "It's not really my cup of caf," she said, indicating the cantina with a lift of her hand. "But it's nice to get off the ship for a little bit, isn't it?"

She'd been expecting another string of one-syllable words, but he surprised her. "This kind of place isn't really my thing, either," he said, after taking a breath and turning her way a bit, such that she could tell he was making an effort to return her overtures of sociability. However, the tone of his voice darkened, just a bit with his next words. "But it's good to be...somewhere different."

Unfortunately, she didn't get much past that, as at that moment, an enthusiastic Fives decided that everyone should partake of their drinks. Someone counted to three – Fives and Marliss, she thought, though it was difficult to say with the din of the cantina – and Bren tipped back her drink, sloshed it around her mouth for a moment, then spit it back into the empty glass as was the custom; she noted that each of her companions did as well, as did Fives and Jesse.

As if oblivious to the others' actions, Rex tilted the contents of the glass down his throat and swallowed. The moment he set the glass back on the bar, Brenna couldn't help but gape at him. None of the others seemed to notice: Fives had returned to telling Hypatia another story while Marliss was speaking to a flushing Jesse. At her look, Rex straightened in his chair; she noted that his entire body had grown tense, as if he was about to spring into action.

After a quick glance around the room – assessing the area for danger? – he gave her a cautious look. "Something's wrong."

"You've never had one of these, have you?" He frowned and shook his head, and she bit back a chuckle at his expression: confusion bordering on concern. "It's strong," she said. "Really strong...so much so that...well..."

She held up her glass, the one she'd spat the drink back into, then gestured to the others' glasses; they'd all done the same and watched as his eyes widened marginally. "You're not really supposed to drink it," she explained. "Unless you're a Toydarian, that is. I guess their tolerance is higher than ours."

He'd grown very still at her words, then his head ducked and he winced, rubbing at his forehead as if he were in pain. She took a moment to appreciate the broad stretch of his shoulders and the fine fringe of blond hair, idly wondering if he bleached it, before she shook the thought away. When he looked back at her, she could see that he was thinking over his words very carefully.

"How long?"

"Before you're drunk?" She shrugged, then gave him a sympathetic look. "For you, probably not long. You guys have a pretty low tolerance for alcohol."

"Compliments of the long-necks," Fives bellowed, slapping his palm down on the bar; the resulting noise made Rex start, and she wondered if he was normally so jumpy, or if it was the drink. Around them, the patrons of the cantina chattered and clinked glasses; on either side of them, she heard her friends speaking with their respective clones, but her attention was fixed on Rex, who was starting to look a bit pale.

"When did you eat last?"

He blinked at her, then shook his head as if to clear it. The pale color was fading to a sickly green. "I...I'm not sure."

The effects of the Toydarian Tease were – apparently – hitting him faster than she'd suspected, because now he looked like any minute he was about to lose the contents of his stomach all over the bar. Brenna lifted her hand and signaled the bartender, but Rex shook his head, reaching forward as if to physically stop her, though he missed her arm by a few inches. "Don't...worry about it."

She studied him, noting the heaviness of his breath and his rapid blinking. "You're going to be sick if you don't get something on your stomach, Rex," she said in a calm voice after she ordered him a nuna-burger.

"I'm not..." He winced again, and she watched as he seemed to struggle to speak clearly. "This isn't...'

"It's okay...you didn't know." With this, she put her hand on his arm and gave him a what she hoped was a comforting smile. However, when he caught her eyes with his own, that particular honey-gold of the clones that she never got tired of, no matter what else happened, her smile widened despite herself.

At her touch, he'd frozen. For one moment his eyes flickered between her hand and her face, then he took a breath and leaned forward with his eyes half-closed, almost as if he were going to kiss her...

Oh.

Oh no...

"Okay," she said, abruptly getting up from her stool. "That's my cue to leave." There was a moment of utter confusion on his face, but she shot him a knowing look as she dug out a few creds from her bag and set them on the counter. "This is for the burger. Get something to eat, then get yourself to bed."

With that, she turned to leave, pausing only when Marliss and Hypatia stopped her; at her words, they'd both slipped off of their stools and come to her side. "What-"

"It's nothing, Mar," she said, shaking her head and deliberately _not _looking back at Rex. "He's drunk and tried to make a pass at me. That's the signal for the night to end."

Hypatia cast a look behind her; Fives and Jesse appeared to be collecting Rex and were helping him off of the stool. "Looks like his friends are helping him, now. You sure you want to leave? I was actually having fun..."

"Then stay," Brenna said, tugging the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "I'm tired, anyway."

Marliss put a hand on her arm. "No, don't leave on your own, Bren. I'll say goodbye to them, and we'll go back together."

It was far to sensible of a plan for Brenna to brush off, so she nodded and stood aside while her companions bid the clones goodnight. She thought she heard Fives offer an apology, but from what she could tell, Rex was beyond words, green-faced and looking at the nuna-burger as if it were about to attack him. _Damn those Kaminoans_, she thought with a sigh.

Whoever among that race had decided to make an entire army of muscled, deadly super-soldiers unable to handle their liquor ought to have been shot.

* * *

_Total facepalm moment for Rexter when he *tried* to kiss Brenna. :P Poor guy...he's had it rough, lately. Don't worry...things will get better for him. ;)_

_And you got to meet Brenna! Let me know what you think of the leading lady. :) Not that it really matters, but in my mind, her last name is pronounced "dah-MAR-ris." Just fyi. :)_

_There's not an "official" soundtrack for this fic, but there are quite a few songs that "fit" with various scenes; the entire bar scene is set to "Willie," by Cat Power. (Seriously...the lyrics are _perfect_ for this story!)_

_Next time: Rex learns that hangovers _really_ suck._

_Hey...check out the fancy new "comment" box below! :D_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_In his nightmare, the darkness obscured everything and even after a scant few hours on the planet's surface, he longed to see a sun again. Longed for blue sky and streams of light that weren't artificially created or blaster-bolts. _

"CT-7567, are you defective?"

_CC, he wanted to say. Command-clone. He'd earned the right, hadn't he? Simple genetics didn't account for his experience, for the things he'd learned. _

"The price of victory...maybe one day you'll understand that."

_Blood. Brothers lives, stolen from them. No clone, no man, should have to kill a brother. They'd won the battle, but the cost had been too high. Shouts of dying men, dying brothers, filled his ears, his mind, his heart. The darkness was too much. He was not made for this kind of fighting._

* * *

The next clear thought that entered Rex's mind was that as soon as his brain stopped trying to bash its way out of his skull he was going to court-martial Fives or, failing that, give him a swift kick in the _shebs_.

ARC or no, Rex knew he could take his brother any day of the week; even though he was a soldier by trade, he didn't normally harbor violent inclinations unless the other person _really _deserved it. Bad enough that he'd been pulled away from his duties aboard the ship to engage in what was probably the most idiotic and disastrous civilian encounter of his short life; bad enough that he'd gotten...intoxicated – unwittingly or not – and made an utter _di'kut_ of himself to a woman who was probably undeserving of such treatment; bad enough that later he'd lost the contents of his stomach on the way back to the ship, and was currently nursing the first – and last, Force willing – hangover of his life.

Humans shouldn't drink Toydarian beverages, and Rex couldn't trust Fives to inform him of the fact if the ARC had a pretty Twi'lek under his nose. Lesson learned.

But even as he lay on his bunk with a pillow over his head to block out the incredibly bright lights of the barracks, Rex knew that it wasn't Fives' fault.

He should have waited to see what the others had done, taking his cues from those who were familiar with the drink before diving in. He'd been distracted, that much he knew. Thinking about things he didn't want to think about, and then the woman – Brenna, he remembered _that _at least – had been kind. She'd put her hand on his arm and looked at him in a way that no woman had ever looked at him, and he'd forgotten himself for a moment.

Rather, he'd wanted to forget. A lot of things.

_But that's no excuse,_ he told himself, wincing as he heard the door hiss open and footsteps start to pound through the room. Even through the painful haze in his brain he recognized Kix's approach across the – thankfully empty – barracks. _I need to find her and apologize for my behavior. _

Just as soon as he could get up without vomiting – again.

"How are you feeling?"

The bunk shifted as the medic sat by his feet; even the slight motion caused a wave of nausea to roll through Rex, such that it took him a moment to form a coherent reply. "I've been better."

"I've got some painkillers," Kix said, his voice muffled by the pillow over Rex's ear. "And some water. You should hydrate."

"Fine. Then I can court-martial Fives."

At this, Kix chuckled, then Rex grimaced as the medic pulled the pillow away, handing him a bottle of water and urging the captain to sit up so he could be given the hypo. There was a faint sting as the spray was pushed through the skin of Rex's neck, but the throbbing in his head began to subside immediately, as did the worst of the roiling feeling in his gut. The water was cool, perhaps the most delicious thing that he'd ever tasted, and he shot Kix an appreciative look as the medic chuckled again.

"That's the good thing about our genetics, anyway. It doesn't take much liquor to knock us on our _shebs_, but we bounce back pretty quickly."

After a few minutes Rex's head felt much clearer, and he glanced around the empty barracks. While Rex wasn't the first clone to stumble through the billet, it was unprofessional and he didn't like the idea that any of his men might have seen him in such a sorry state "Do you know how many of them saw me? Last night's kind of a blur."

Kix shrugged. "Fives comm'd me before he and Jesse brought you back; it was fairly early, so most of them were still out. Coric had them doing drills at zero-six-hundred this morning, so it's possible none of them will be the wiser."

Still working over what he could remember, Rex sipped the water again and gave a slow nod. After a moment, Kix shot him a querying look. "You really didn't know about the Toydarian Tease? I could have sworn..."

"No, but I won't soon forget," Rex replied with another grimace. The water-bottle was nearly empty, but he was already feeling worlds better. He paused, swirling the remaining contents around for a moment before glancing back at Kix. "Brother to brother...how drunk was I?"

The medic made a show of putting the empty hypo away in his medkit before he was able to look at the captain. "Er...in my professional opinion, somewhere between 'very' and 'extremely.' If you want details..."

"Never mind," Rex said, shaking his head. "Maybe ignorance is bliss in this case. Thanks, Kix."

His brother gave him a smile, then cleared his throat. "Are you okay?"

It was a valid question but Rex had no ready answer, hadn't had one in some time, so he only nodded wordlessly. In his fashion, Kix seemed to accept the answer despite the fact that he probably knew better; he gestured in the direction of the mess-hall. "I recommend getting something to eat."

"Now, or before the next time I decide to get plastered?"

Kix laughed and made to stand up. "Both, actually, though I don't think you'll be repeating that performance any time soon."

It wasn't really funny to him, but Rex gave a grim sort of chuckle as he stood up as well, and followed Kix to the mess-hall, which was thankfully devoid of too many clones. About a quarter of an hour later he felt more like himself – in a manner of speaking – and after thanking the medic again, headed for his office.

As an officer, he was allotted a small space in which to conduct the administrative aspects of his job: scheduling duty rotations, performance and disciplinary reviews, report reading and writing, among other things. There wasn't much in the galaxy that he could call his own, and the little room with its functional desk, chair and computer console was not among such things, but it was at least a place he could be alone.

Taking a seat in the chair, Rex activated the console and immediately pulled up a query for the _Resolute's_ various civilian personnel. After a few minutes of searching he found her: Brenna Damaris; Security Contractor – Communications Division; Sector R-12. She was on duty at the moment, and while he probably should have waited until she was not working, Rex didn't want to postpone this conversation; he'd made a mistake and had to rectify it as soon as possible.

Even so, he sat for a few minutes, reliving the night again in his mind – what he could remember, anyway. Much of it was a blur after the ill-fated drink, but he could clearly recall her hand on his arm, even if he wasn't quite certain what color her eyes had been. Warm, he remembered. She'd been warm. Other than that and her name, he wasn't sure about much else.

Well, he'd find out soon enough. A glance at his fatigues showed him that they were not as clean as he'd like; he hadn't been sick on them but they were rumpled from being slept in, and he had no wish to appear unkempt, not after he'd showed his _shebs_ last night. After a moment of debate, Rex decided that approaching her in his armor would be appropriate, so he rose and slipped out of the door.

* * *

Seated in her little office, Brenna's gaze was on the screens that covered her workstation; however, there was only so much of her attention that diagnostics on the communication system's encryption subroutines could take up, so the rest of her mind was left to wander back to the previous night.

During her time with the GAR, she'd been hit on before by sober clones with far more tact, so she should have been able to shake off the encounter, but she couldn't.

For the umpteenth time, she wondered if she'd overreacted; he'd clearly been out of his element, and she'd been tired and crabby. Being suddenly and unexpectedly drunk didn't excuse such behavior, but she could have shown a bit more compassion.

Anyway, it didn't matter. She hadn't tried to look him up, as she knew that the troopers were listed by their numbers, not their nicknames, and she figured that she wouldn't see him again; the _Resolute _was a massive ship, and until last night she hadn't even spoken to any clones during the six months of her posting on this vessel.

Leaning back in her chair, Brenna rubbed at her eyes then glanced at her chrono, noting with dismay that it was still too early for lunch. The second – or was it third? – cup of caf she'd had was starting to work its way through her, so she got up and made her way for the doorway of her little office. There wasn't much to this area aside from a desk, a chair and six monitors, but she'd added a few touches here and there to make the space feel more welcoming; mostly pictures of her toddler, Irini, but a few of Alderaan and her brother as well.

As she slipped out of the doorway and into the corridor, she was greeted by a blast of recycled air, so she hugged her sweater around her sides and hurried for the 'freshers, about six doors and another hallway to the left away from her office.

Despite the fact that she didn't want them to, her thoughts drifted back to last night and to Rex. He'd seemed...lost. It was difficult to place her finger on it, but he didn't look like any other clone she'd met – face notwithstanding – and she wondered what it was that troubled him so. She could vaguely recall news of a recent battle on Umbara, but she'd been elbow-deep in work at the time and like many of her civilian coworkers, had only a peripheral awareness of the events.

But it was reasonable to assume that the Wars that were taking their toll. Fighting would do that to a man whether or not he was engineered for the task – she'd seen it happen before. There wasn't much else to the clones' lives most of the time besides countless battles.

Indeed, to most of the civilian population, fighting was all these men were good for.

It was a common theme among many of the folks she worked with; all too often they had little idea of what actually happened during the fighting, and she knew that many of them didn't care to change the fact. No, it probably wasn't a good thing, but it was so easy to get lost in the routine work that they each took part in; for being in the middle of a wartime, living on a battleship like this one, most of the time life was relatively mundane.

Lost in her thoughts, Brenna didn't see the trooper until she nearly crashed into his chest. As it was, it was the sight of the tell-tale white boots that caused her to skid to a halt, thankfully _before_ she careened into him.

When she looked up, her mouth fell open a little in surprise. It was Rex, but he looked...well, the clones' armor was always an impressive sight, but coupled with the earnest – and sober – expression on his face, she was left a bit speechless.

Distinctive slashes of blue along his arms and upper legs marked the plastoid pieces; around his waist was the paneled skirt-thing – a _kama_, she remembered after a moment – and he wore a curving pauldron over his left shoulder, all of which were indications that he was an officer. His helmet was tucked under his arm; she caught a glimpse of some kind of marking whose significance she didn't understand, and at each of his sides was a blaster-pistol. Beneath the armor she could see traces of the black body-suit that all clones wore. The overall effect was...

Well, at least she'd remembered to close her mouth.

If he noticed her flustered state he made no indication of the fact, instead tilting his head at her in a querying manner. "Brenna Damaris?"

"Yes?"

He hesitated, and she wondered if she'd caught him by surprise just as he'd caught her, for he appeared to be at a loss for words, finally saying: "I'm an idiot."

"I'm sure that's debatable." She hoped her voice sounded less breathless to him than it did to her, and mentally rebuked herself. _Snap out of it! It's just armor, it's nothing you haven't seen a thousand times._

At her words he seemed amused, though after a moment he straightened his shoulders. "I wanted to offer my apologies for my...impropriety last night," he said in a smooth, professional voice. "I was...well, I haven't been feeling well, lately. I know it's not an excuse," he added quickly, his eyes shifting from her face to the wall beside her as the tips of his ears reddened. "But..."

"It happens," she replied, sliding her hands in the pockets of her pants to give her something to do, as they suddenly felt very awkward and out-of-place. "It could have been a lot worse."

"It wasn't one of my prouder moments," he admitted with a frown.

Brenna nodded once to him. "Apology accepted, Rex. And...as someone who's had her share of less-than-proud moments, I'm not going to judge you by that one encounter."

Something in her words seemed to give him pause, and she watched as he studied her for a moment; his gaze was intense even if his posture held the distant sense of formality that she was familiar with. In the back of her mind, she wondered what he saw when he looked at her.

A moment later, after neither one of them spoke, he cleared his throat. "Anyway, that was all. I just wanted to apologize for my...er..."

Another pause. Was he at a loss for words again?

"Impropriety?" Along with the word he'd used earlier, Brenna offered him a smile that he actually returned, albeit faintly. There was _another_ pause between them, and she wondered again what he was thinking; Jedi-powers would most certainly have come in handy right now, though she figured she'd slice off her arm if she ever got a hold of one of their lightsabers.

Finally he seemed to reach a decision; he gave her a swift nod as he turned to leave. "Thank you, Miss Damaris."

Before she could say anything else, he was gone. It took her a moment longer than it should have to remember what she'd been on her way to do, before Rex had found her. As she stepped into the 'fresher she exhaled deeply, as if to expel the encounter from her mind.

But he lingered, still.

_No, _she thought as she locked the stall behind her. _No, this won't do at all. _

Not again.

* * *

_Rex's Umbara "nightmare" comes up a few more times; it's his way of dealing with the horrific events, which is to say he's not really dealing with them at all. However, they're stuck quite firmly in his subconscious. More on that later. _

_Brenna's reaction to Rex in his armor always makes me giggle; who can blame her? :P_

_A couple of folks indicated that they weren't sure what Rex's faux-pas was in the cantina: he got super-drunk and tried to kiss a woman he only just met. I went back and tweaked things in the previous chapter, so hopefully it's a bit clearer. :)  
_

_There is a bit of Mando'a in this fic, which will be explained in time. (Feel free to look up "clone trooper" on Wookieepedia and check out the section labeled "Mandalorian Heritage.") In any case, "_shebs_" means "_ass_" and "_vod_" means "_brother_."_

_Thanks for reading! Reviews, comments and feedback are welcome and appreciated. :)_

_Up next: a mission on Ithor and more of Fives' antics..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Realistically, Rex thought that the apology had gone about as well as it could have, considering the fact that everything he'd said sounded like a pathetic excuse for his behavior. He'd been rehearsing the words in his head as he'd gone to meet her, but when he'd come across her in the corridor she'd caught him by surprise, thereby negating his carefully prepared speech.

But she'd seemed not to notice. Instead he'd noted that she'd been about as startled as he was; the fact that they were on some kind of common ground was oddly comforting, and it had ultimately been what allowed him to complete his objective.

Mission accomplished: apology made. There was no need for him to think of her again, which was a good thing, as he had far too much on his plate already. It didn't matter that when she'd smiled at him, he'd thought she was pretty. And – now, this was a silly thought – she smelled...nice. Not too sweet, but distinctly feminine. Unfamiliar, but pleasant.

He hadn't really noticed, before.

Anyway, life went on, and for several weeks he really was too occupied to think much about her again, save for the occasional flash of her hand on his arm; he didn't allow himself to dwell on such a thing, because it was a distraction that he couldn't afford, especially when he was on unorthodox missions like the business at Kadavo. If his unrequited crush on Ahsoka had taught him anything, it was that he was not equipped for the more romantic aspects of life.

At night, he had his dreams. Rarely were they pleasant...just the opposite. Even though he usually only remembered snatches of them, he knew this was the case because there were many times when he'd woken up sweaty and tangled in the sheets, fighting for air as if he'd been drowning.

Anyway, they didn't affect him too much during the day so he pushed the nightmares back in the recesses of his mind and tried not think about them at all if he could help it.

Over the course of the next few weeks, there were a few skirmishes, here and there. Nothing Rex and his men couldn't handle, but certainly more than enough to hold all of his attention and prevent his mind from dwelling in the darkness.

It was on one such mission that he saw Brenna again. In retrospect, Rex wasn't surprised to learn that Fives – who'd been stationed with the 501st on a semi-permanent basis after Umbara's losses – had orchestrated the entire thing. Despite his harsh words to Kix, Rex didn't really blame the ARC for his own shortcomings; nevertheless, Rex had been unwilling to speak of his encounter with the civilian woman, which he knew annoyed Fives to no end.

Ithor: it was supposed to be easy, a simple in and out job that didn't even require the whole of Torrent Company, only a few select squads to infiltrate the Seppie bunker and gain access to a bit of valuable intel that had been stored in this particular area. Three teams, thirty minutes – an hour tops – and they'd be able to bang out with none the wiser, returning to the _Resolute_ in time for dinner and not even having to bother the Jedi about the matter, as Ahsoka and General Skywalker were engrossed with their own business.

Rex and Sergeant Silver's teams were to take out the security droids at the perimeter, while Fives' was to actually infiltrate the base itself and extract the information that had been reported by Republic Intelligence.

However, in the way of these things, nothing went quite to plan.

"_Captain, this isn't working." _Over the comm, Fives sounded rather irritated, which would have amused Rex had he not been in his level-headed battle-mode.

"What's the problem, Fives?"

The Ithorian forest that surrounded them was ominously quiet, and Rex tamped down a flash of worry as he, Tup, Jesse and Cay crouched by the smoking remains of the droids they'd just demolished; it would only be a matter of time before their presence was detected, and he knew that every moment mattered. Not for the first time did he wish that the clones' armor was a nice, matte black – even commando-gray – rather than brilliant white; surrounded by darkness, the clones stuck out rather obviously.

Fives exhaled, the noise distorted over the comm. _"Fragging Republic Intel mucked up their info on the decryption sequence; they told us we'd be dealing with one of three, and of course..._none_of them are what we're prepared to deal with. But don't worry," _he added in a voice that was suddenly far too pleased for Rex's liking. _"I've called in backup."_

Beside Rex, Tup shifted nervously and glanced around as if the shadows from the trees were about to attack them, which probably wasn't too outlandish of an assumption. Indeed, Rex could feel every iota of his own concentration straining to discern the counter-attack that was most certainly forthcoming.

When the younger clone spoke, he voice was hushed with confusion. "Backup? What's he talking about, Captain?"

Rex was wondering much the same thing, especially since it was the first he was hearing of this part of the plan. As much as he wanted to trust Fives, he was instinctively wary, especially given the ARC's recent behavior. "What sort of backup?"

Even as he said the words, they all heard the distinct sound of a speeder bike, the whining noise growing louder as it approached, then fading to nothing once it rushed by, leaving a rush of air in its wake. Had Rex not been as observant as he was, he would not have seen the passenger of the bike: a feminine form that was clinging to the waist of the clone trooper driving the vehicle.

After cutting off the mics – internal and external – of his helmet, he let loose a string of virulent swears before he felt calm enough to call up a private channel with the ARC. "She's a _civilian_, Fives. This is a _war-zone._..what the hell were you thinking?"

His brother's reply was swift. _"Whatever it takes to get the job done, _vod_. Besides, Hypatia told me that Brenna's the best man – er, woman – for access-code decryption."_

There wasn't time to argue; what was done, was done. Instead, Rex signaled to his men to mount their own bikes and make for Fives' squad's location, because he'd be damned if he'd let a civilian get shot out here.

This was no place for someone like her.

It only took his squad a few moments to reach the Seppie bunker; so far they'd all been lucky, and as he slid off of the speeder – barely before it stopped completely – he saw the rest of Fives' squad standing guard outside the squat building, amidst a few smoking droids lying here and there. No doubt there would be more.

"Tup, Jess, Cay," he barked into the comm. "Fan out and cover us. I have a bad feeling that this place is about to get hot."

When his men moved away, he entered the door of the complex proper, most of which was underground; he followed the map that RI had supplied to his HUD down a series of darkened corridors to where Fives was located. Along the way, he checked in with Sergeant Silver's team: all was quiet on the eastern side of the building, which did nothing to quell his nerves. It was always quiet, just before the storm.

Inside the inner chamber, he could see Fives' distinctive armor as the now-unhelmeted ARC crouched beside a smaller form who was seated in front of an array of glowing terminals; however, rather than looking at the screens, her fingers were dancing, lightning-fast, over the touchscreen of an unfamiliar datapad that he supposed she must have brought along. There was a slender connection cable that ran from the 'pad to the nearest station, and he could see a small, nylon bag at her feet that appeared to contain other bits of tech that he had no knowledge of.

Actually, he had no idea at all what she was doing, but the determined look on her face indicated that she was intent on her work, so he was loathe to distract her by asking. The console screens themselves contained a blur of numbers and letters that Rex couldn't make heads or tails of, but before he could say anything, Fives twisted around and indicated Brenna with a tilt of his chin.

"Don't worry, Captain," Fives said in a quiet voice, as if he was also reluctant to disturb her. "I've got the others on the lookout, but she's _fast_. We'll be done before you know it, Rex."

At this, Rex glanced back at Brenna, who had eyes for nothing but the little screen before her, though he could have sworn he saw her fingers pause when Fives said his name.

"We should bring you along on all the missions, Brenna," the ARC added as he looked at her again. "You're pretty handy with these kriffing computers."

At this she gave a small laugh that was really more of an exhalation of air through her nose, and shook her head; her eyes did not stray from the screen and her fingertips were practically a blur.

Rex still wanted to object to a civilian presence, but he felt rude doing so in front of her, and Fives' lack of a helmet meant that he couldn't speak to him privately; instead he approached the desk and took a second to study whatever she was doing. Even after a few moments he was lost, so instead he cast her a brief glance.

Illuminated by the blue glow of the consoles, he thought again that she looked...pretty. Yes, that was the word, he was certain. The shape of her face was pleasing, the lines curving and smooth; even in this light he could see that her skin was creamy pale, and there was a faint scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her light-brown hair was gathered at the nape of her neck with a few wisps around her face – remnants of the speeder ride, perhaps – and her eyes, a rich brown, were flicking over the screen, her expression indicating that she was absorbed in her task. It was difficult to make out what she was wearing in the dark room, but he caught a glimpse of sturdy boots, which made him wonder if Fives had prepared her for the mission ahead of time without telling him.

Before Rex or Fives could answer, Silver's voice sounded over their wrist-comms. _"We've got droids, Captain,"_ the sergeant shouted, blaster-fire peppering his words. _"There's too many for us to take...several of them have made it through out defenses and are coming for you."_

"Almost done," Brenna said suddenly, the words spoken under her breath as if to herself. "Just a few more minutes..."

"Thank you, but please hurry," Rex replied in as calm a voice he could manage as he withdrew his blasters and put his back to her, Fives doing the same after he replaced his helmet. A few blinks into his HUD opened a channel to the rest of his men.

"We've got some visitors, lads," he shouted. "Droids incoming from the east. Be ready for-"

Even as he said the words, he heard Cay start to swear, the sound quickly followed by the shriek of blaster-fire outside. All around them, the walls started to tremble, as if a legion of droids were approaching, and he knew his men were engaging them. Rex shot a glance back at the console and noted that Brenna's hands were shaking and her face looked significantly paler than it had a moment ago, but she was still working.

To get a better view of the area as a whole, Rex stepped toward the door that led to the hallway where he'd previously entered, then cast another quick look around him. Besides this door, there was only one other way out of the room: a ventilation duct in the corner, about six centimeters off the floor. Another glance at her; he thought she'd fit, if worse came to worse, and it usually did.

"When I give the word," he said to Fives, who'd taken a defensive pose beside Brenna. "Get her in that vent over there, behind the desk. We'll discuss this _plan_ of yours later."

Fives answered in the affirmative, then glanced over at Brenna again; over Rex's comm he could hear his men shouting at the tinnies, though thankfully he still heard everyone's voices, which meant that no one was down. Yet. He took a breath and pitched his voice to be clear and very calm. "Miss Damaris, how much longer?"

It took her a moment to reply, during which time the walls began to shake a bit harder, and Rex heard the answering tremble in her voice. "Just another minute..."

"You women," Fives replied with a dramatic sigh. "Always taking your sweet time." There was only teasing in his voice, and Rex saw that the faintest of smiles crept to her face for a moment, to be swiftly replaced by very obvious fear. Her hands were shaking harder now, and Rex watched as she took a few shuddering breaths to steady herself while she worked.

In one way it was interesting to watch a civilian in this circumstance, as he'd never had the opportunity to observe non-military personnel in a similar situation – save the Gungan senator on Naboo, and Rex didn't really count _him – _but he was also worried. She shouldn't have been here; it was too dangerous, and despite the fact that she seemed resolved to complete the task at hand, her determination meant that she would very likely get injured, or worse.

As that thought occurred to him, his hands tightened their grip on his blasters, because he couldn't let such a thing happen. What else was his job, if not to protect those who couldn't protect themselves?

Suddenly, the distinctive sound of duranium joints creaking down a nearby corridor met his ears, and his body automatically slid into a half-crouch, tensed and waiting. Indeed, he heard Tup shouting into the comm: _the droids have broken through and are heading right for you, Captain!_

"Miss Damaris," he said in his calmest, most professional voice as he nodded to Fives. "I really hope you've finished."

* * *

Brenna's hands were shaking, but by some miracle she was able to keep her fingertips steady enough to work. The encryption on the Separatist base was pretty heavy, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be handled with the customized multipurpose decryption software she'd loaded onto her 'pad; however, the sound of blaster-fire and groaning walls all around her as the droids approached – she'd never even _seen _a battle-droid in person – were both enough to set her heart racing as adrenaline flooded her veins.

Just a few seconds more...

As the final sequence of the decryption finished and she downloaded the last of the pertinent information to a datarod, Rex spoke her name. The sudden but rich timbre of his voice nearly made her start out of her chair, but she managed to retain her composure enough to reply.

"Done," she said, the word coming out more like a gasp as she slipped the 'rod into a secure pocket of her gear-bag.

The instant she'd stowed her 'pad and the rest of her kit, she felt herself being lifted out of the chair and shoved rather abruptly into a nearby ventilation shaft by an apologetic Fives; behind him, she could see flashes of electric red and blue light as a few initial shots rang off. That and the horrific shrieking sound alerted her to the reality that a battle was about to take place right before her eyes.

After she clambered in the vent, Fives handed her a small blaster – handle-first – before he began to fit the cover back on the opening. "Stay here and keep quiet," he said in a soft but serious voice. "Rex and I will cover you, but if anything goes wrong, this vent leads to the surface so you should be able to get yourself out of here in one piece."

With that, he turned away and went to join the captain. There was a brief pause in blaster-fire, and she hoped for a minute that the clones had shot all of them and the ordeal was over already, but she had no such luck. Spindly shadows could be seen coming down the corridor, their shambling gait slow but painfully steady.

Moving as one, both soldiers sprang into action.

For a few minutes, everything she could discern through the grated vent-cover was a blur of color and sound; aside from the streaking plasma bolts that illuminated the room, she could see the clones' armor, dim but still white against the darkness, and make out the briefest flickering of the console's lights against the droids' metallic bodies.

The sound was unlike anything she'd ever heard: violent, shrieking, metal clattering and clanging as the droids were felled one by one by the two men who moved through the chaos with ease. Her ears were ringing from the blaster-fire and her fingers closed around something solid; looking down, she stared at the blaster that Fives had placed in her sweating hand. She had no clue how to fire it, but was reluctant to move even enough to set it down.

Fives' words rang in her ears: _If anything goes wrong..._

Her throat was completely dry and she felt lightheaded; she needed to breathe, but each inhale brought in the acrid scent of plasma and smoke, both of which had a metallic tang from the droids that were piling around the clones. Doubled over in the little vent, Brenna could hardly take a breath, especially with her heart threatening to pummel its way out of her ribcage. It was horribly loud, louder than anything she'd ever heard, and the piercing lights of blaster-fire were jarring against the darkness.

To try and distract herself, Brenna watched Rex. Each of his movements was fluid and precise, each lift of his arm or adjustment to his stance was designed for maximum efficiency; at his feet, the droids fell like rag-dolls. Every now and then she caught a glimpse of his visor, and she imagined that his face was determined and calm. He'd been so calm as he spoke to her, clearly not wanting her to be frightened, but needing to make sure that she understood the severity of their situation.

Brenna's hands were slick with sweat, and she tried to will them to stop shaking. For one moment she squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to stem the panic that was welling within her, but she failed.

_If anything goes wrong..._

If she died here, her daughter would never see her again.

It was a reality that made her stomach churn and her breath grow even shorter. Dizziness overtook her along with a clenching fear, because she was quite certain she was going to be shot to pieces in a matter of moments.

That was when a sound caught her attention. Later, she wouldn't recall exactly what happened, only that when her eyes opened, she saw that one of the droids had slipped past the clones' defenses and was approaching her location. Instinctively, Brenna tried to back away, to make herself smaller, anything to make it not see that she was there and _go away_, but her movements must have caught its eyes – or photoreceptors – because its weapon lifted.

Her heart was beating so loud it drowned out all other noises, including the sound of a male voice, shouting something unintelligible.

The droid aimed.

* * *

_Cliffhanger! :P_

_After writing so many battle scenes with clones and Jedi, both of whom are trained to handle this type of intense, life-threatening situation, I wondered how a "normal" person might react to such an event. Not good, as it turns out, but I doubt I'd react much differently. (I can't even tolerate the sound of gunshots, so this kind of scenario is like my worst nightmare.)_

_Endless, endless thanks to _**Jade-Max**_ for providing me with some much-needed "techspeak" for this chapter. :)_

_Slight editorial change in the original text due to some excellent feedback from_** SerendipityAEY**_. Thank you! :D_

_Thanks for reading! Especially those of you who are following my other story...I know it's a lot to keep track of, so I _greatly_ appreciate each and every one of you taking the time to read. :D You are awesome!_

_Next time: Rex is a knight in shining armor, naturally. ;)_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

All things considered, Rex thought that it wasn't that bad of a skirmish. It was over relatively quickly; the droids outside were felled with his men's usual alacrity – all squads having reconvened to work as one unit – and he and Fives were more than able to handle the few that had found their way through the complex.

As they were picking off the remaining droids in the corridor, Rex happened to glance behind him in time to see a lone B1 make its way for the vent where Fives had placed Brenna. Without thinking, the captain turned and fired upon the blasted thing even as he shouted a warning to Fives.

After that, it really was over.

"That was invigorating," Fives said, holstering his blaster with a twirl and tilting his bucket towards Rex.

"I'll go out there and see what the damage is," Rex replied, sliding his own weapons in their places at his sides. "You check on our civilian friend and make sure she's in one..."

He frowned as Fives turned and darted off through the corridor, towards the exit. _Honestly, what's the point of being in command, sometimes? Kriffing ARC troopers..._

"I remember when you were just a shiny, you know," he called out to Fives' retreating figure.

In response, the ARC muttered some nonsense over the comm about it being the Captain's duty to _handle_ any civvies; it was impossible to miss the innuendo that dripped from the words, but Rex chose to ignore it for now.

The room was small and the presence of so many dead tinnies made moving a bit awkward, but Rex managed to wade through the heaps of scrap metal to reach the vent where she'd been hiding. There were a few scorch marks along the wall surrounding it, but nothing serious, so he figured she'd be unharmed and more than ready to leave. He certainly was.

But there was no movement from the vent, and he felt a flash of apprehension: what if she'd been injured, somehow? Kneeling down, Rex gently pried the grating cover loose from the wall and peered inside the darkened chamber. "Miss Damaris? Are you okay?"

She was there, seated and doubled-over with her hands clapped against her ears; he could see the strap of the gear-bag she'd brought resting behind her, and he frowned as he noted a small blaster that she was clutching with white knuckles.

Rex took a breath, then reached up to remove his bucket, the opening seal making a soft _hiss_ as he did so. "It's over, ma'am," he said once his helmet was clipped to his belt. "Are you injured?"

"Did we win?"

Rex had to bite his tongue to _not _laugh at the words, which struck him as more than a little silly. "We're alive, so I think that's an affirmative. We shouldn't linger, though. Here, I'll assist you..."

He extended his hand to help her out, but she didn't move. A closer inspection showed him that her breathing was shallow and ragged, and he could see that her shirt was almost soaked through with sweat.

Terrified...she was immobile with fear, and his amusement evaporated right along with his formality. "Brenna?"

At the sound of her name she looked up, seeming to note his presence for the first time, and he saw that her face was streaked with tears and her lip was swollen and pink as if she'd been biting it. "Rex?"

"It's okay," he said again, keeping his voice gentle. "We won. Can you come out, please? I don't think I can squeeze in there with the pauldron." _Though I'll take it off if I have to. _

She nodded and after slinging the strap of her bag across her shoulder, began to crawl forward. As she did so, he reached out and plucked the blaster from her hand to clip it to his belt, after checking to see that the safety was on – it was, thankfully. The moment she was out of the vent, she began to hyperventilate in earnest; her entire body trembled and he thought that she looked ghost-pale.

Alarm coursed through him; he'd seen shinies exhibit some of these symptoms of shock after their first battle, but she looked an inch from passing out altogether. No, she certainly wasn't made for this kind of thing, and he felt the need to keep reassuring her. "You're safe, Miss Damaris. It's over. Come on, I'll help you negotiate the way out of here."

Indeed, the floor was littered with droid parts, so much so that he briefly debated carrying her, but shook the thought away as she nodded and began to step forward. She was still shaking, but he could see that she was fighting for control, and he realized that he felt odd seeing her this way. It was too familiar - almost intimate - not to mention how unnerving it was to see how she looked as if any moment she'd collapse.

There was a metallic clatter as she tripped over the smoking husk of a B1, so he offered his gloved hand to steady her. She accepted with a grip that was firmer than he'd anticipated, and together they made their way through the room.

"_Captain?"_

"Jesse," he replied into his wrist-comm, watching as Brenna picked her way over a couple of droids that had tangled together where they'd fallen. "What's up?"

"_We're all accounted for and ready to bang-out. Is she...?"_

He shot her a glance, which she returned with a quick nod. "We're coming," he replied into his comm. "But I don't want anyone to wait for us. Clear the area; we'll meet you at the RV point in ten."

There was a muffle of static, but he nodded to himself at Jesse's affirmative reply, then looked back at her. As she met his gaze, she seemed to know what he was going to say. "I'm sorry...I'll hurry."

"I can carry you," he offered, and immediately felt ridiculous for the suggestion when her features tensed and she gave a swift shake of her head. "Or..."

"No, thanks," she said after taking a breath and situating the strap of the gear-bag more securely across her torso. "I'm okay."

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they made their way across the room to the corridor, which felt to Rex as though they stretched on forever. However, once they cleared the room where the console had been, the going was a bit easier and he noted with relief that she seemed more steady.

At some point she'd dropped his hand; currently her arms were around her stomach and she was walking with her head tilted slightly down, as though watching her steps. It was not until he heard a halted inhalation of breath that he realized she was crying.

That was enough to make him pause; he'd seen Ahsoka cry before, and had some idea of how to comfort _her_, but Brenna was an unknown element, and he had a feeling he'd already upset her somehow by offering to carry her out. As it was, she kept walking, though she stumbled over a loose wire in the floor, prevented from falling only because he caught her elbow.

"I'm sorry," she said again, her voice soft and shaking. "I'm okay..."

While he was hyper-aware of the seconds that were ticking by, Rex had never received training for this kind of situation; however, common-sense told him that she needed a distraction to take her mind off of what had just happened so they could make haste.

As they began walking again and he cleared his throat. "Thank you," he said. "For what you did back there...you saved the mission, you know, though I wish that things hadn't gotten quite as exciting for you."

"When Fives contacted me about it yesterday, I thought it would be easy," she replied with a shake of her head, her left hand reaching up to wipe at her eyes. "And my supervisor told me I'd get hazard pay, so..."

She took another shuddering breath, then looked up at him. "I didn't realize it would be...like that. I had no idea."

He shrugged and stepped aside to avoid the smoldering remains of a droid that must have tumbled down the stairs ahead. It was dark here, uncomfortably so, and he thought of Umbara before he could stop himself. "You're a civilian, ma'am," he said after a moment. "You weren't made for this, not like me and my brothers were."

The words came out darker than he'd intended, and he hoped that she didn't take it personally; a sideways glance indicated that she appeared to be distressed, and he sighed inwardly at his mistake. However, in the next moment she looked his way again; they'd reached the foot of the stairs that led to the surface, but she paused as if to study him. Her mouth opened to speak, then he watched as she flushed and looked at her feet.

"Is something wrong?"

At his words she took a breath and met his eyes again. "It's probably silly of me to ask, but...has anyone ever thanked you? You and your brothers, I mean. For..." Her hand lifted to indicate the area around them. "All of this?"

A quick analysis of her tone told him that there was only sincerity in the words, and he was unsure what kind of reply would be appropriate. The generals had thanked him on more than one occasion; Ahsoka always made it a point to acknowledge him and his men, but he knew on some level that wasn't what she was referring to.

Suddenly, he felt an urge to be moving, as time was still short, but her eyes on him were expectant. Finally he shook his head. "No, Miss Damaris. Why would anyone thank us for doing what we're programmed to do?"

Again, the words came out with more bitterness than he'd meant. Again, she seemed upset, but this time when she spoke her voice held more certainty. "You're not programmed."

"How would you know such a thing?"

She smoothed back her hair and gave him a look that was filled with something he identified as regret. "I just do."

Rex had no response to that, so he simply nodded and made for the stairs. When he stuck his head out of the door, the light from all six of Ithor's moons saturated the area, painting the charred bodies of droids in a silvery glow. His speeder-bike was where he'd left it, and a quick mental calculation told him that they still had a few minutes before they'd be late to meet the others at the rendezvous point. When he stepped out, she followed him silently and they headed for his bike, though she hesitated before mounting behind him while he slid his bucket back over his head.

"Miss Damaris...?" Rex suddenly felt very tired; he had no wish to remain on this planet any longer, but she'd remained standing about an arm's length away, and still seemed to be considering something.

When she looked at him again, the light from the moons was reflected back at him within her eyes. "Thank you, Rex. For...well..." Even in the pale moonlight he could tell that she was flushing, which – oddly enough – cast most of his irritation away. "For everything."

With that, she slipped up behind him and placed her hands on his waist; her touch was light, but firm. He activated the engine and they sped into the darkness, together.

* * *

The first thing that Brenna did when she got to her quarters aboard the _Resolute _was call her daughter. Still wearing the filthy clothes she'd had on during the mission, she took a seat on her bed and activated the secure link that would open a channel to Alderaan, to her brother Caith's house. It was around dinnertime on her home planet, and she knew that the entire family would be there.

Her sister-in-law, Edme, answered. _"Bren?" _

"I need to talk to Iri." The words rushed out but she couldn't help their abruptness – all she could think about was speaking to her daughter. Edme's eyes swept over her before the other woman nodded, turning to a spot out of range and beckoning to someone that Brenna couldn't see. Her heart was pounding, but every bit of agitation fled as the toddler came into view.

"There's my girl," she said with a smile that widened further when the almost two-year old recognized her and gave an exuberant wave.

Iri's answering smile was bright and there were traces of paint on her fingers and face. _"Mama!"_

Her daughter's voice made her eyes grow hot, but Brenna shook the feeling away and leaned closer to the transmitter, wishing she could reach her hand through and touch her baby. There were a few minutes of the little girl chattering away – Iri knew quite a few words, but was still working to put them into sentences – during which Brenna could only watch and fight back her own longing. As she listened to her daughter, Brenna was unaware of the room around her, of the soft hum of the hyperdrive in the background, or the recycled air that was always too cool, even for someone from Alderaan's wind-swept plains.

After a moment, Iri paused, then bit her lip as her pale brows furrowed with concern. _"Mama home?"_

Brenna took a shaking breath but kept her features smooth. "We talked about this Iri, remember? I have to be away for a while, but I promise to see you as soon as I can."

"_Now?"_

She hated giving her daughter vague answers, but the reality was she had no true idea of when she could go back to Alderaan, even for a brief visit; it was part of her contract to remain in the service of the GAR until her two year tenure was up. If she were to leave for any unapproved reason, her position would be filled by one of the thousands of applicants vying for such a well-paying job. Aside from a few bits of leave here and there, she hadn't seen her daughter in...

Well, she didn't want to think about it, but it had been far too long.

Brenna's only consolation was that she was earning enough money to not only support her daughter, but to put away in what was becoming a rather significant nest-egg.

To Iri she gave what she hoped was a comforting smile. "I don't know exactly. But I need you to do something for me, okay?" Iri nodded and leaned forward, a serious expression on her face despite the fact that she had sprinkles of finger-paint on her chubby cheeks. "I need you to learn as much as you can and be on your best behavior for Uncle Caith and Aunt Edme. Will you do that, please?"

Logically, Brenna knew that Irini was far too young to truly understand what she was hearing; however, when her daughter smiled and nodded again, as if pleased to have a "mission," of a sort, Brenna had to chuckle at the earnest expression. She also felt a fierce kind of pride, one that brimmed over with joy despite her absence from her daughter, because Iri _was_ able to sit still and pay attention to something as abstract as a holo-call. From what Brenna knew of other children, such a thing was pretty well impossible for kids her age.

Iri was still smiling, so Brenna gave a silent exhale as she continued. "Caith, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Of course, Iri wasn't capable of conducting a holo-call on her own, and Brenna figured that her brother was also around. Indeed, the image shuddered and crackled, but the connection held as her brother appeared, his expression indicating concern. Although he was five years her senior, Brenna always thought that Caith looked like her, which in this moment made her feel oddly homesick. _"Are you okay, Bren? You look..."_

"I'm fine," she replied with a nod even as her mind flashed back to Rex reaching for her while she was huddled in the little vent. "I just...had a rough day."

There was a pause as she watched Iri in the background, returning to the finger-painting, then she swallowed. "She looks good."

"_She's doing very well,"_ Caith said, a sympathetic smile creasing his features. _"She amazes us every day with how quickly she learns. You know, I thought my Tavi was a fast learner, but Iri is something else..."_

He trailed off, seeing the look on Brenna's face, then added. _"She misses her mother, though."_

It was harder to keep herself together in front of her brother, but Brenna managed. Barely. "The feeling is mutual, believe me." She paused, thinking of the day's events and her hazard pay, then cleared her throat. "I'll be sending along a larger amount than normal next pay-cycle; will you see that it's put into my savings?"

Caith didn't miss a thing._ "What happened?"_

"It's nothing-"

"_Bren."_

She sighed and rubbed at her eyes with the heels of her hands before replying. "I was...involved in a skirmish today. I'm fine," she added as his mouth fell open. "Not a scratch. But it was...well, it was a little frightening, and I just...I wanted to talk to her."

Her brother's eyes narrowed. _"I thought your job was purely administrative? When you started working on that warship, you said that you weren't going to be involved in any of the fighting."_

"I know, but this was a one-time thing." He still looked unhappy and she inhaled deeply. "Caith...I promise. My job is normally so quiet, the only danger is that I might die of boredom." To further draw his attention away from her situation, she lightened her tone and gave him a smile. "Anyway, how are the rest of you doing?"

At this, Caith looked pensive, his eyes darting off-screen for one moment before flickering back to her. _"We're doing well, Bren." _There was a pause, then he added: _"Actually...Edme and I had dinner with Mom the other night. It was very civilized."_

The mention of their mother sent a flash of old anger through Brenna, but she kept it in check and tried to look pleased. "How is she?"

"_Mostly the same," _he replied in a wry voice. _"She called us a few days ago, wanting to see us for dinner. Ed and I left Tav and Iri with a sitter, so it was just us adults. "_

"Sounds like fun," Brenna said, trying to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

In his fashion, Caith ignored her tone and continued. _"The ranch was a bit quieter than I remember, but she seemed to be doing alright...you know, it's been almost fifteen years since dad died." _He paused to let the words sink in, then added: _"She asked about you."_

"She knows how to get in touch with me," Brenna replied, straightening her back. Her father's death was not something that they generally talked about, though the realization that it had been so long since it'd happened hit her harder than she expected.

"Besides," she added. "I'm not the one who decided to stop speaking to her after I left Alderaan, remember?" At Caith's look of frustration she sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry...it's not your problem. I am glad that you're getting back on good terms with her, at least."

He nodded, but his eyes were a little sad. There was a pause that stretched a bit longer then it should have before she couldn't bear it any more. "So you're all doing well? Did Tavi make the the junior smashball team he tried out for?"

As she'd hoped, her brother smiled at the mention of his young son's name and she tried not to chuckle as his chest puffed up with pride. _"Yes, he did, and now that's all he talks about, as you can well imagine..."_

They discussed mundane matters for a while longer, until Brenna glanced at her chrono and realized that it was probably getting close to Iri's bedtime. "Can I talk to her again before Edme puts her down for the night?"

There was a pause, during which she watched him consider something else; she steeled herself for the next question, the one he always asked her, no matter what. A moment later she watched his eyes shift to her daughter, then back her way._ "You haven't heard from _him_, have you?"_

Brenna shook her head, watching as Caith's expression flicker between anger and old sorrow, though he kept it hidden well when he spoke again. _"Okay. I'll put her on."_

After she wished her daughter good night, promising to call again when she got the opportunity, Brenna flicked off the holo-transmitter and sat on the edge of her bed for a few minutes, staring at the device in her hand without really seeing it. Her thoughts were on Alderaan, but they didn't remain there.

Caith's question reminded her that she hadn't checked on Tucker's status in a few weeks; however, she didn't feel like doing much of anything but collapsing in her bed and sleeping for the next few days, or at least until her next shift started. So she set the device in the nightstand by her bed, peeled out of her filthy clothes and stepped to the 'fresher. Perhaps a shower would help calm her down, or at least quell some of the agitation that chipped away at her heart.

Failing that, sleep would be a more than welcome reprieve from her own thoughts.

* * *

_Little more about Bren's backstory and life situation here; there are some pretty heavy-handed hints being dropped about Iri's dad, but the full story won't get revealed until a bit later, as it's always tricky to balance information about a new character with the pacing of the rest of the fic._

_Additionally, I don't have kids, so many details about Iri may be "off." A lot of it can be explained by her parentage, but I know I missed the mark on a few occasions throughout the story. Many thanks to _**SerendipityAEY**_ for giving me some pointers on writing a toddler! :D_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Next time: post-mission briefing, and Ahsoka has a favor..._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The morning after the Ithor skirmish, Rex was the first to arrive at the tactical room for the post-mission briefing. Happily, someone had thought to provide a full pot of caf, some mugs, cream and sugar, all of which the captain helped himself to while he waited, as he was feeling a little more tired than he should have. Mug in hand, he idly scrolled through the datapad that contained his report of the latest mission, going over the text one last time for any spelling or grammatical errors before he transmitted it to the Jedi.

When he reached the part where Brenna had come in, his eyes narrowed. Fives had skillfully avoided him last night and all this morning, but a reprimand _was_ coming, because Rex was _not_ pleased that the ARC had gone over his head and brought a civilian into a hostile situation. However, despite his misgivings, she had performed her task well – admirably well – especially considering how upset she'd been by the entire experience.

It still bothered him that she'd been frightened, and it was not entirely because she shouldn't have been in a situation like that to begin with, untrained as she was. No, it bothered him because of how nonchalant he and Fives had been about the skirmish, an attitude that contrasted so severely with her fear and bewilderment once he'd gotten her out of that ventilation duct.

War. Fighting. Yes, he'd been trained to handle both on a daily basis, but were they really all he knew?

Rex considered himself – not quite as _worldly_ as Fives claimed to be – but observant and experienced, in many aspects of life. Until recently, he'd thought he had a pretty good handle on civilians, interacting with them, at least. But Brenna's terrified reaction to something he considered mundane had thrown him for a loop, and he wasn't quite certain what to make of the disparity between their perspectives.

Additionally, his slip-up at the cantina the night he'd met her still bothered him because he didn't like making errors in judgment, even in non-combative situations. He'd offended her when she'd only been trying to be kind. Even though she'd accepted his clumsy apology, he couldn't really shake the encounter from his thoughts.

Rex wasn't certain what _that _meant either, but he would bet his blasters that it wasn't good.

The sound of the door hissing open brought his attention back to the moment, and he gave a salute as General Skywalker and Ahsoka entered the room. Skywalker returned the gesture with a nod while his Padawan shot Rex one of her customary bright smiles, and once everyone was outfitted with a cup of caf, they gathered around the holo-proj so that Rex could fill them in on Ithor.

When he reached the point where Fives had brought Brenna along, his eyes moved to the general, because he figured that Skywalker would have something to say about a potential civilian casualty.

Indeed, Anakin's eyes narrowed and he frowned at Rex. "A contractor from the _Resolute_? She didn't get hurt, right?"

"Miss Damaris was unharmed," Rex replied with a nod; he thought of her tear-streaked face and frowned, adding: "She was a bit shaken by the ordeal, but physically she was fine."

"Still, that's not okay," Ahsoka added, frowning as well. "Fives shouldn't have brought her in without consulting one of us. Unless...Master, he didn't ask you, did he?"

Both Rex and Ahsoka glanced at the Jedi, who gave a slow shake of his head. "No, he didn't. At least it worked out in the end...this time."

"I've noticed that Fives has been...unsettled since Umbara," Ahsoka ventured, casting Rex a careful look. "So have a lot of the others."

Skywalker exhaled and rubbed at his forehead as if pained. "I know. I still feel horrible about all of that, Rex..."

"Sir, there's no need to-"

"No, there is," the Jedi said, giving Rex one of those looks that made the clone think that he could see straight through his skull to his very thoughts. "I know I've said it before, but what you had to go through with Krell...Rex, you – _all_ of you – deserved better than...well...what you got."

Rex couldn't really find his voice for a moment, so he gave a swift nod of acknowledgment, and the general continued. "If Fives is still...unsettled, just talk to him about his actions. No formal reprimand needed. But it _can't_ happen again," Skywalker added, his eyes flashing. "The last thing I need is the Council getting in an uproar because some civilian got killed on one of our missions."

The tone of his voice had taken a slightly darker turn at the mention of the Jedi Council, but it was not a wholly unfamiliar one; through past conversations with Ahsoka, Rex knew that the young general was often at odds with his fellow Jedi.

However, internal Jedi affairs were far and away _not_ his area of expertise – or concern, for that matter – so Rex only gave another nod, after which Skywalker held up a datapad that he'd carried into the room. "That reminds me: we got a communique from Master Ti. It looks like the new recruits that we were hoping for from Kamino aren't going to happen."

Rex was unable to help the flare of unease at the Jedi's words. "That's...that's _not_ good. The 501st is still recovering from the substantial losses on Umbara – and the War in general. Torrent Company alone is down to forty percent of its men."

Skywalker frowned at the datapad as though the piece of tech itself were responsible for the bad news. "We're still getting clones to supplement Torrent and some other companies within the 501st...ever heard of Spaarti Creations on Cartao?" Both Rex and Ahsoka shook their heads and the Jedi continued. "They were contracted after the first year of the Wars to supplement the Fett clones – they're also of Jango's DNA, apparently, though I don't know how all of that got worked out."

Ahsoka furrowed her brow-lines and reached to pluck the datapad out of her teacher's hand. "Why haven't we heard of them before now?"

"The Chancellor has his reasons," Skywalker replied with a shrug as he watched his Padawan scan the 'pad's contents. "He's the one who authorized the contract with Spaarti Creations. In any case, the clones from Kamino are growing fewer and farther in between, so this is a good thing overall. Assuming the Spaarti clones work out, that is."

Rex felt another lurch of foreboding when Ahsoka lifted her eyes from the device, a disturbed expression on her face. "This is...unreal; it says here that Spaarti is able to fully grow and train a clone in only a year...Master, is that true?"

"A _year_?" Rex felt his eyes widen.

Skywalker gave a deep exhale as Ahsoka handed the datapad back to him. "Yeah, I read that. It's why I have some misgivings about them, so I sent Appo to personally collect some of the units that are assigned to the 501st; he'll make a report once he takes a look at them. From what I can tell, we're getting some of the first Spaarti clones, so we can 'test' them out on the battlefield. Lucky us."

_Lucky us, indeed,_ Rex thought with a frown. New clones were normally not a problem; shinies were inexperienced, but he was confident in his ability to mold them into the soldiers they were bred to be, mostly because he knew what kind of raw material he was working with. Despite their differences – and there were many, no matter what _some_ thought – each clone shared the same training that ensured that they'd be successful at their duty as defenders of the Republic.

But a new kind of clone, grown _and_ trained within a year? He had no idea how such a thing was even _possible_, let alone effective. How would they react to the rigors of battle, not to mention integration with older, well-established groups of brothers? Something like fear tightened in his throat, but he pushed it back because surely there were some vital details of which he wasn't aware.

Everything would be fine; he just needed to know _more. _Before he spoke, Rex took a breath to collect himself. "Sir, do you have any more information on these Spaarti clones?"

General Skywalker nodded and flicked his fingers across his datapad; moments later a tiny light on Rex's own 'pad began blinking, indicating that he'd received the information. There was a bit more discussion before Skywalker's comlink began to chirrup; as the Jedi glanced at the message – text-only, from what Rex could tell – he sucked in his breath and an odd, half-smile came over his face.

"Everything okay, Master?"

"Yeah..." The Jedi blinked a few times, then glanced up at his Padawan and the captain as if seeing them for the first time. "I just...need to send a quick message. I'll find you in a bit, Snips." Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and exited the room, the door hissing shut in his wake.

The instant that the door closed, Ahsoka and Rex looked at one another. "Is he okay?" Rex asked, his brow furrowing. "He seemed a bit...distracted."

She frowned as well, but nodded. "He's got a lot on his plate. Like we all do, I guess. Especially with those new clones coming."

"Right..."

Ahsoka gave him a smile, the kind that was meant to reassure but always made him feel like his armor was uncomfortably two sizes too small. "It'll be okay, Rexter. I know that you and the others can get them into shape. But since they're going to be so shiny, I think you should only using your second-scariest glare on them, okay?"

Despite his own misgivings, her words made him chuckle. As he reached for the holo-proj to close out the image of Ithor that had been left up, Ahsoka shifted in place, indecision written on her features; a moment later, she cleared her throat and stepped forward, moving around the rounded proj so that she was standing before him. "Rex...can I talk to you for a second? Off the record."

"Of course." He tried not to acknowledge the sudden increase of his heart rate at her proximity, nor the accompanying heat that crept up his neck to his ears. In her way, she seemed not to notice; instead, she gave a deep exhale and picked up his datapad, idly thumbing through it while her expression indicated she was still debating something.

He waited another moment, then cleared his throat.

It was his way of gently urging her to speak. It seemed to work, for she grimaced and set the 'pad down to meet his eyes. "It's more teenager stuff, so you might not want to hear about it. Actually, it's more of a favor, I guess. _Actually_, I'm not sure what category it could fit into, really, but I guess 'favor' would work, even though I don't know if you _can _help me-"

"Ahsoka."

She sighed again, but a smile spread across her face. "Okay. Here it is: I want to send out a transmission, but I need to make sure that it can't be...found. Traced, detected, whatever. It's not technically against regulation, but I'm not sure how to go about doing it. Do...you know how?"

At first he was wary, for she was almost-but-not-quite asking him to break the rules – for _her_, but still – and he wasn't entirely comfortable with such a thing. However, the wariness was swiftly replaced with acute disappointment, because he figured there was only one person in the galaxy whom she'd want to contact in this surreptitious manner.

Even so, he had to know for certain. "I think I can manage it," he said slowly. "But...if you don't mind...will you tell me to whom?"

It was not an unusual request, and she must have anticipated it before she'd decided to ask him the favor, but she hesitated again, and his suspicions were confirmed without so much as a word from her. However, she nodded and an accompanying lovely dark flush swept through her montrals when she said his name. "Lux Bonteri. Remember me telling you about him?"

Rex chose not to answer that question, instead taking a moment to sort through his own emotions; jealousy warred with regret, but above it all was disappointment with himself, because he thought that he should have been over his "crush" by now. However, before she could detect his feelings in her Jedi-way, he shuttered them back and gave her what he hoped was an impassive look.

"No, it's not technically against regs, but..." He frowned, thinking over how best to form the inevitable question. "Ahsoka, I know it's not for me to question you about Jedi matters...but what about the Code?"

She shook her head, _lekku _swaying with the motion. "I'm not planning on marrying the guy, Rexter. I just want to talk to him, you know? Keep tabs on how he's doing, make sure he doesn't get into anything he can't handle...that kind of thing."

A light laugh escaped her, perhaps at some memory she shared with Bonteri, and Rex's chest felt a bit more hollow at the sound. In the next moment, though, her face changed and she looked a bit chagrined, as if she regretted asking him such a favor when she – he was certain – knew how he felt about her despite his efforts to keep his thoughts to himself. The realization struck Rex that she must really like this Bonteri fellow, to have approached him with such forwardness.

Since the very last thing that Rex wanted was for her to be upset or uncomfortable about anything to do with himself, he offered her a reassuring smile. "Sounds like a plan, kid. I'll see what I can do."

As he'd hoped, a pleased look crossed her face along with a measure of relief, though he tried not to feel a sting of regret, because he _knew_ her so well, well enough to know how to change her mood with only a few words.

"You know I can't talk to Skyguy about this, right?" The Padawan's question was soft, uncertain, and her expression faded to a look of concern. "He still thinks of me as 'Snips the youngling.'"

That was – oddly enough – more comfortable ground for the captain, and he gave a slow nod in response. "Like I said, he seemed a bit...out of sorts, there at the end of the briefing. Anything happen that I should be aware of?"

Even as he said the words he thought of the general's half-smile. The Jedi had been...pleased about something, but that 'something' had been distracting, which indicated that it was probably not work-related. Personal, then. Something to do with Senator Amidala? Rex frowned to himself. Surely that was idle speculation on his part; perhaps he'd been letting the gossiping habits of his men affect him more than he should.

As if reading his thoughts, Ahsoka furrowed her brow again and shook her head. "The other day he mentioned something about being anxious to get back to Coruscant, but that's really all I know...all that's recent, anyway. I'm keeping an eye on him."

"Business as usual, then?"

At his wry tone she gave him another smile, the same kind as before, the kind that usually made him wish he had his bucket on to prevent her from seeing his ears get red. Usually. This time, by some miracle, Rex found that he was able to meet her eyes without any part of his anatomy growing overly warm. There was a single moment of silence between them, then she dug in her pocket and pulled out a datarod.

"This has the message I'd like to send, and its destination," she said as she handed it to him, watching as he tucked the 'rod in his belt. "It's not weird or anything, you can read it if you want. I trust you."

He shook his head. "It's private, Ahsoka. I won't read it."

"Thanks, Rexter." She paused, then reached out to put her hand on his gauntleted forearm. "You're a good friend."

Again, the smile. _Yes, _he thought with a mental sigh. _This will take some getting used to. _In response, he only nodded to her and – after a moment's consideration – patted her hand with his own. "You too, kid."

* * *

_Oh, look...plot! Did you see it? ;)_

_A little non-Rexsoka angst for the shippers...but they make good friends, too! :)_

_The Spaarti clones are a topic I sorta tackled in a previous story, (_Eye of the Storm: Alchemy_), but not to the degree they're handled in this one. Everything about them is as accurate as I can make it; hopefully it all jives. _

_Thanks for reading! Please leave a review, even if it's just a few words; I'm always happy to know what you guys think about the stuff I write. :)_

_Next up: now it's Rex's turn to ask someone for a favor..._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven **

When he and Ahsoka finished their conversation, Rex only debated for one moment before making a decision and heading for Sector R-12. He didn't have long before he'd be expected to lead his men in today's drills and practices, so he ensured that his steps were swift.

Certainly, there was no other reason to hurry, although a niggling part of his brain teased him that he didn't want to wait to fulfill this aspect of his informal "assignment."

Because that was how he had to look at it. An assignment, like any other, albeit this one would be "off the record." He knew that it was technically more of a favor, but right now he preferred to think of Ahsoka's request in a more formal manner. It was easier.

It took him longer than he'd anticipated to reach the sector where Brenna worked, again making him realize how unused he was to facets of the GAR that didn't directly involve his men or fighting of any kind. As he made his way through the labyrinthine passages of the _Resolute_ towards the administrative section, he also wondered if the hurry in his steps was – in fact – sprung from a desire to see the brown-haired young woman again.

But that would be foolish, wouldn't it? He wasn't like Fives, of whom there were rumors that he jumped from lover to lover without thinking twice. And while Rex could appreciate an attractive female as well as any man, he'd only ever really thought that there would be _one_ woman to whom he'd be truly drawn.

But Ahsoka had made her point clear enough, and while he wasn't thrilled with her choice, he knew he had to respect it and move on. Not that he was planning on doing so _now_, with...anyone, but he figured that acknowledging the fact was half the battle.

Soon enough he was standing outside of Brenna's office, the place he'd meant to come when he'd planned on apologizing to her for his inappropriate behavior in the cantina. The door was a plain gray, like all of the others that lined the corridor, and he could see that the panel to one side indicated that the office was occupied; likely she was bent over a computer console as she'd been during the skirmish on Ithor. If he listened, he could hear some type of sounds emanating from the room...muffled music, he realized after a moment.

For a few seconds he allowed the memory of her face, washed in blue light, to drift through his mind. After, he pressed his gloved finger to the access panel, alerting the occupant of the office that she had a visitor.

Seconds later, the music faded and the door opened with a hiss, revealing Brenna Damaris. Her hair was loose today, hanging down her shoulders in gentle waves, and she was wrapped in a thick, woolen sweater. Rex wondered if she'd been expecting someone else, for she seemed startled to see him, but she recovered immediately.

"Captain Rex."

"Miss Damaris," he said, inclining his head because it would have felt odd to salute her. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

Her mouth opened then closed, and she nodded quickly before moving aside to allow him entry into the small room. As he stepped across the threshold, Rex assessed the space in an instant; it was about the same size as his own office, though there were half a dozen screens of varying sizes spread across a curved desk, before which a chair was still rotating slowly, as if its occupant had jumped up in a hurry.

Also unlike his own office, the walls were covered with pictures: stills and flickering holos. Mostly they were of a small girl – a toddler, he thought – a few with other people, probably family and friends, and a few more that featured sweeping mountains and landscapes that he didn't recognize.

"Sorry for the mess," she said as the door closed behind him. "I wasn't expecting anyone."

There was an extra chair pushed against the far wall, but it was covered in stacks of flimsies and datapads; he watched, amused, as she made to clear it, but raised his hand to stop her. "Thank you, but this won't take long."

"Okay," she said, coming stand before him; he noted that she was shorter than him by a few handspans, but she wasn't _short_. Average height, he supposed, and there was a pleasing shape to her body that he could make out even beneath the bulky sweater. Again, he caught the smell of something unfamiliar: feminine and quite pleasant. Her eyes on his were curious, and when she spoke, she seemed hesitant. "What's up? Is this about the mission on Ithor?"

Rex shook his head, suddenly uncertain that he was doing the right thing by coming to her with something that was probably delicate. Was it appropriate? Despite their previous interactions, they didn't really know each other that well...would she be willing to bend the rules at all, let alone for someone she hardly knew?

Well, he'd already come this far, and as he could think of no other reason for an impromptu visit of this nature, so he withdrew the datarod from his belt-pouch and held it out. "I have a...situation. I was wondering if you could help me."

She took the proffered 'rod and gave it a cursory glance before looking back up at him, waiting for him to elaborate. Rex paused, then took a breath. "There's information on that datarod that I need to send out to someone, but I don't...it needs to be..."

_Kriff_, he didn't want to say _secret_, for her eyes had already widened a bit, and he was starting to think he was causing her alarm, that this whole thing was a bad idea...

However, in the next moment she nodded, her features smoothing, turning impassive but also – he thought – a bit disappointed. "You don't want it traced, right?" At his nod, she shrugged. "It's okay, Rex. It's not an uncommon thing you're asking."

"It's not for me," he said before he could stop himself. "It's for a friend."

The instant the words left his mouth he winced, because they sounded...well, flimsy. Indeed, she gave him a skeptical look that was edged with amusement. "A friend?"

"Right," he replied, straightening automatically. "Can you manage it?"

She actually laughed, though he also got the sense that she was trying not to roll her eyes. "I'll do my best, Captain. I'll find you when it's ready."

Rather than attempt to suss out her response, he only nodded again and made to step for the door. "Thank you, Miss Damaris."

As she watched him leave, he could have sworn that her amusement faded to a look of fleeting remorse, though she offered him a parting smile as she replied. "Any time."

* * *

After the door closed behind Rex, Brenna slid into her chair and studied the little datarod for a moment, thinking. A "friend." Of course...she'd been silly to suspect that it might be otherwise with him. In her experience, officers – captains, especially – tended to be the most...romantically inclined of all the clones; commanders were notoriously uptight while lieutenants and sergeants had a few too many chips on their broad shoulders.

Anyway, it didn't matter. She had no desire to get involved with another clone, especially after the last time – after Tucker – so it was better this way. As she had little in the way of real work to occupy her at the moment, Brenna pulled out a few comlinks from the box she had in her desk – standard-issue, but they could be improved with a few minor tweaks – and began her task.

It was a simple matter to modify the tech so that each user could send untraceable messages to one another; she'd done so in the past for Marliss and a few others, and even had sent a few to her brother and Edme, just in case. Privacy was a valued commodity.

Once the comlinks were ready and she made to transmit the information on the datarod onto them, she realized that he hadn't asked her _not _to read the message that he wanted to send. For one moment she debated, then she shook her head. He'd obviously been nervous about doing something like this in the first place, and she had no wish to jeopardize his trust, no matter how curious she might be.

However, she needed to know whom to allocate the other comlink to, didn't she? Perhaps that would satisfy some of her curiosity. She pulled up the information on her personal datapad, then gave a snort of laughter at the name: _Lux Bonteri, of Onderon. _

Other than the young man being the son of a deceased Separatist bigwig, Brenna knew nothing about him, but she doubted that he was Rex's type. Not that it was unusual for some clones to gravitate towards other males, but somehow the captain didn't give off _that_ particular vibe.

Along with being amused, she was relieved. She'd really thought that he had a _someone_ already, which would certainly make all of her feelings more complicated than they already were.

However, it was tempting. Too tempting. She knew better than to get involved again; experience had taught her that forming a romantic attachment to a clone was far from healthy for her.

Perhaps it really was all in her – admittedly overactive – imagination, because other than his "pass" that first night in the cantina, Rex had shown no interest in her at all. In fact, he'd been nothing but professional and courteous around her thus far, so there was _no_ reason for her to imagine anything else. She had enough on her plate, anyway.

Still, she had to deliver the comlinks to him at some point and the sooner she did so, the sooner she could put the whole matter behind her and get on with trying to sort out her messy life. _That_ thought was sobering; no one, clone or otherwise, wanted to get involved with someone who had as many complications in their life as she did. Tucker had indicated as much when he'd fled. Now, of course, she was completely fine and everything was okay, but she clearly remembered the pain of his initial rejection of herself, of their as-yet unborn child, and of the life they could have shared, somehow.

In so many ways it had been her fault, because she should have known better, shouldn't have let her hormones shut down her common-sense...she'd been an idiot, and now her daughter would grow up without a father.

But that was all in the past, and she could never go back to fix it; all she could do was work to make her daughter's future as bright as possible. It would have to suffice.

After another few minutes of debate, Brenna sighed and shook her head, then set the comlinks in her pocket. Later. She'd drop them off to Rex later, and none of this would trouble her any longer.

* * *

"Later" turned out to be the following afternoon, because Brenna caught a transmission from a Separatist ship that was particularly difficult to decode. By the time she'd finished, it was hours past midnight and she was too exhausted to do much more than remove her shoes before collapsing on her bed.

When she woke up just before lunchtime, Marliss was standing before the sink in their 'fresher, preparing for her rotation in the engine room_**. **_At the sound of Brenna stirring, her roommate shot her a concerned look through the open door. "They're pushing you too hard up there."

"It's not that bad," Brenna replied with a yawn, sitting up and pushing her hair out of her face. "I just stay late, sometimes. Not like you and that hyperdrive...I don't know how you can handle working so much."

"That's the beauty of unlimited overtime," Marliss said as she leaned before the mirror to pin up her fair hair in order to keep from getting covered in engine grease. "The army pays well...why else would this job be worthwhile?"

Brenna stretched her arms up, noting a few popping joints as she did so. "It seems like you're always pulling double shifts."

"This is a big ship, Bren," the blonde woman replied with a shake of her head. "There's always work to be done. And I don't mind...it's good to be doing something productive with my time-"

The words were cut off with a soft curse as Marliss dropped the pin she'd been holding; after she bent to retrieve it, Brenna cleared her throat. "What do you want to do when you're done with this job?"

"Travel," was Mar's immediate reply as she slipped the wayward pin in her hair with satisfaction. "I want to see...everything I can. And unless I marry rich, like my sister, that's not likely to happen," she added with a roll of her eyes.

"You don't want to go home?" Brenna's eyes fell on a picture of Iri, and her heart tightened with longing. Though she could go about her daily routine without any difficulty, it never got any easier to be away from her daughter. Sometimes, when she was tired or lonely, it got worse.

As she gathered another lock of her hair, Marliss gave a derisive snort. "I don't have much of a home to return to. Unless you like endless desert and moisture farms. Oh, and Hutts. Don't forget the Hutts. I was lucky to get the kriff off of Tatooine before my mother gambled me away, too. Kriffing hell...not another one..."

A tiny _ting _met Brenna's ears as Marliss dropped yet another pin, and the blonde woman knelt to search for the object. As she did so, there was a moment of silence, so Brenna reached for her 'pad to see if Caith had sent any messages; a few moments later, her roommate spoke again, her tone considerably lighter than before in the manner of someone trying to change the topic of conversation. "Care for a bit of gossip?"

No messages, from home or anywhere else. Brenna rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and blinked up at the 'fresher door. "Sure."

"Hypatia stopped seeing that clone – Fives, was it? Said he was too..."

"Chatty?"

Marliss chuckled. "I think her words were less flattering, but that's the gist of it. Besides, she's about done with her contract, and wants to meet someone and settle down."

At the words, Brenna shook her head, then resumed thumbing through her 'pad. "If she wants a stable relationship, she probably shouldn't look for it on a ship of cloned soldiers who live half as long as we do." After a moment she set down the 'pad again and glanced over at her roommate. "So it was her call to end things?"

"I think it was mutual," Marliss replied, frowning as she tucked back a stray wisp of pale hair. "She finally told him that she wants more than just a fling, which is – surprise – all that he was looking for."

Brenna chose to say nothing else on the matter; instead, she moved the datapad to her nightstand and slid out of the bed, coming to stand nearby Marliss as her roommate selected another pin and leaned forward to place it. "What about you and Jesse?"

At the name, Marliss shrugged; to prevent dropping them any more, she'd stuck a few pins in her mouth, so her next words were muffled. "He was nice. Not really my type, but nice enough. We haven't spoken since that night." She paused and removed the final pins to set them in her hair, then cast a knowing look at Brenna. "What about your blond captain? Have you seen him after that exciting mission of yours?"

"Mar..."

The blonde woman grinned at her, green eyes sparkling with mischief. "From what I heard, it sounded dangerous...and _so_ romantic-"

"Are you almost done in there?" Brenna interrupted, indicating the 'fresher.

Marliss gave a roll of her eyes, but she stepped out and nodded in the direction of the toilet. "All yours. If I wasn't running late, I'd call you out on the fact that you dodged my question."

"Have a great day at work, Mar," Brenna replied with a wave and an overly bright smile that made Marliss roll her eyes again. "I'll see you later."

Her roommate gave another long-suffering sigh, but took the not-so-subtle hint; soon enough the door closed behind her, and Brenna was alone again, with a few hours until she was supposed to report back to her workstation.

After a shower and change of clothes she felt a bit more refreshed. A glance over the ship's duty schedules revealed that Rex's company was off-duty at the moment, so she figured he was either in the mess-hall, the barracks, or working out in the training room. If she was lucky, she could locate him, hand over the comlinks and make it up to her sector with enough time to grab a cup of caf before settling in for another shift.

Under no circumstances was she going to dawdle or delay when she found him, because there was no telling what kind of stupid thing she would do if she were to spend too much time in his company; she tried not to let the very fact that she had to apply these kinds of rules to her behavior meant that she'd already crossed the boundary between "attracted" and "interested."

As she slipped on her shoes, she found herself repeating a litany in her mind, hoping the mantra would help her act as she should. _Mind over matter. Don't be an idiot again. Don't keep making the same mistakes over and over. Don't get swept away by your heart – or your hormones. _

Despite her assertions, she caught herself in the 'fresher, taking a little more time than was normal – or necessary – to brush out her hair. _Mind over matter._ With a sigh, she set the brush down, gathered her jacket off of the chair beside her bunk, and slipped the modified comlinks in her pocket. Mind over matter. Right. Simple, really.

On a mission now, she headed out the door.

* * *

_So, I'm still not 100% clear on how comlinks work in SW, so I liken them to smartphones in our world; the ones in this story make voice calls, "Skype" type calls and send text messages. And emails, kinda. Sigh. Hopefully it'll make sense..._

_Thanks for reading! _

_Next time: get ready for another encounter! ;)  
_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

The clone quarters aboard the _Resolute_ were not a place where the civilian contractors were encouraged to visit, but it was a simple enough matter for Brenna to find her way to the barracks' entrance.

However, once she was there, she stood outside the innocuous door for a moment, considering. It would probably _not_ be the best idea for her to just waltz into the soldiers' area; she didn't think she'd be unwelcome – far from it – but she knew there were probably regulations against having non-army personnel in the barracks.

While no one had expressly prohibited herself and her civilian coworkers from entering the clones' areas, she'd heard several times since her posting on the _Resolute_ that "co-mingling" was "highly discouraged."

"Looking for someone?"

Brenna turned at the familiar voice and nodded to the ARC as he approached her. Dressed only in a pair of cotton pants that she figured were meant for exercising, Fives gave her a lazy, two-fingered salute as he sauntered up, coming to stand about an arm's length from her as he added: "Let me guess...you want Rex, right?"

"Actually, yes," she replied, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jacket, the fingers of her right hand toying with the comlinks. "Have you seen him around?"

Fives indicated another door down the hallway. "Just saw him in the training room a minute ago. Want me to take you there?"

It would definitely be unwise for her to enter the clones' workout room, mostly because she didn't want to have any chances to linger in Rex's company. Still, her gaze shifted behind the shirtless ARC, to the door he'd indicated where Rex was. Maybe she could be quick...

No. She had to be strong, she had to be professional. _Mind over matter,_ she reminded herself. _Don't keep making the same mistakes over and over._

As if he could read her hesitation, Fives shook his head and dug around in his pocket, pulling out a comlink a moment later. "I can call him out here, if that would be better."

"It would," she said, flashing the ARC an apologetic smile. Suddenly an idea occurred to her, and she glanced around the area, considering. "If he's busy, I can just leave him a note..."

However, Fives was already making the call, shifting around so that he was also facing the direction of the exercise room as she was. "Captain, what's your location?"

"_Who is this?"_

Eyes alight with mischief, Fives cleared his throat and shot Brenna a wink. "It's your mother, Rex. Who else?"

There was a pause, then Brenna had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from laughing as Rex gave a sigh._ "Very funny, Fives. I'm just finishing up my reps. Is there a problem?"_

The ARC lifted his brow at her, then said: "Nope, but you have a visitor outside the barracks."

There was a pause before she heard Rex's reply, but she was unable to determine if his tone was pleased or not. Not that it would matter if he was pleased. Or if he wasn't. Either way...it didn't – couldn't – matter. She'd made her decision. She couldn't afford to-

"_Understood. Stand by."_

When Fives dropped his arm he shot Brenna a look that suggested he knew something that she didn't, which immediately set her on edge; however, his next words were unexpectedly solemn. "I never got to apologize for putting you in harm's way on that Ithor mission," he said, his shoulders straightening. "I mean, I'm glad you could help us out, but I think you got a bit more excitement than you bargained for."

As he spoke, he seemed younger and more vulnerable than she remembered, so she offered him a warm look. Perhaps he was a bit too...exuberant for her tastes, but he was a nice enough guy. "Fives, you have nothing to apologize for," she replied with a shake of her head. "You warned me that it might get 'exciting,' but it was ultimately my decision to tag along. But thanks, anyway."

He nodded, but his gaze had shifted and a faint smile crept to his face. As she turned to see what he was looking at, the ARC said a harried goodbye and darted off, which she only remembered later on because that was the moment when she saw Rex again.

Having just finished a workout, the clone captain was coated with a sheen of sweat that caused his thin shirt to cling to his torso in a very distracting manner. Beneath the armor, Brenna knew that the clones – therefore Rex by proxy – were exceptionally fit, but there was something about just _knowing_ that was quite different than being confronted with the hard planes of reality. Broad shoulders complimented his frame, his stride was purposeful and his body was well-defined without being overly bulky; as he approached, she could see the muscles of his left arm flexing as he mopped off his face with a white towel, so he didn't appear to see her right away.

Which turned out to be a blessing, as it gave her a chance to snap her jaw shut and collect herself before she'd have to speak.

As it was, her careful resolve _not _to go down that road again dissipated in an instant, and she felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach, the one that often accompanied the decisions that she later regretted.

When he was about ten paces from where she stood transfixed, he slid the towel into the pocket of the cotton pants he was wearing and looked up, his gaze falling on her the next instant. The moment his eyes met hers, she felt a flush creep across her face for all that she tried to fight it away.

Thank the Force he seemed not to notice. Instead he came to a halt a hairsbreadth closer than Fives had been moments ago, and gave her a nod. "Miss Damaris?"

For a moment too long she was lost in the honey-brown of his eyes, then she mentally shook herself and pulled her hand out of her pocket, withdrawing the comlinks and offering them to him wordlessly, because she was still forming simple speech in her mind. At his look of confusion she cleared her throat and willed her voice to be normal and not breathless, like some simpering heroine in a romance-holo.

"I figured having these would be easier than having to find me every time you wanted to make a transmission," she said as he took the comlinks, though he didn't look away from her. "They're modified; no transmission that you make will be traced. I gave you two in case you can get one to your...friend."

There. Mission accomplished. All she needed to do was turn around and walk away, and the whole matter would be over. She _definitely_ needed to leave before he spoke to her again, because if she stayed any longer, she'd make herself look like an idiot or worse – do something stupid, something she couldn't afford to do.

If only her legs would work.

"They really are for a friend," he said, a frown coming to his face even as his tone was earnest. "I wasn't making that up."

She took a breath, but she still couldn't bring herself to move. "It's okay. I don't care who they're for, Rex."

Frustrated, he shook his head; she could see traces of sweat in his fair hair, glinting beneath the lights of the corridor. When he spoke again, he held her eyes with his own and his words were careful and deliberate. "That may be so, but I meant what I said: they're for a _friend_, not for _me_."

He paused, then took a step forward, so that the space between them was halved. "I always mean what I say, Miss Damaris. You can count on that."

"Brenna," she replied, her name coming out far more breathy than she would have liked.

At this, the edge of his mouth lifted into a half-smile and he nodded once. "Brenna."

Before she knew what was happening she was speaking again, which caused a part of her brain to reel in frustration because apparently her mouth was now running on autopilot. "Rex...would you like to have dinner with me, sometime?"

"What?" Eyes wide, the captain looked completely thrown for a loop, his composure of a moment ago having apparently fled right along with her common-sense, and she felt her own face flushing in response.

What was wrong with her? What happened to being strong? Mind over matter? Taking another breath, she shook her head and made to turn away. "Sorry...never mind...that's probably all sorts of inappropriate-"

Then his hand was on her elbow, effectively stopping her in her tracks. When she looked back at him, he was scanning her face with an intensity that she'd never seen in another man, clone or otherwise, and it was all she could do to remember to breathe.

"When are you free?"

The rich timbre of his voice echoed in her mind, and Brenna knew that she was lost. Irrevocably. Force above and beyond, her face was probably completely red; she was torn between wanting to vanish into the floor and keep standing here, because his fingertips was still on her elbow, holding her in place with hardly a touch. Before she replied, she blinked as if to clear her eyes. "How about tomorrow evening, around eighteen-hundred hours?"

He considered, then nodded once, swiftly and all business again, though she thought for a moment that he seemed...relieved. "That works for me," he replied, dropping her elbow and straightening. "The mess-hall?"

"I was actually thinking of the observation deck," she said, trying not to wrinkle her nose at the thought of military food. Even so, Rex must have caught her expression of distaste, for he raised his brow at her, and she gave a light shrug. "I'm not a fan of rations," she explained. "But don't worry, I'll provide the food."

Rex nodded to her one last time before he made to head into the clone barracks. "The observation deck, then. See you tomorrow...Brenna."

There was little chance of her reply coming out as anything more substantial than a murmur, so she did the next best thing, offering him the same kind of casual salute that Fives had given her. In response, he ducked his head in acknowledgment and gave his half-smile before disappearing into the adjacent doorway.

Once he was gone, she stood in place for a moment before giving herself another mental shake and turning to leave for her own section, because she had work to do and couldn't afford to stand around all day like a silly, love-stoned teenager.

She didn't want to think too hard about why she'd asked him; what was done was done. And although a part of her mind knew that she should be upset – because this was how it started with Tucker, and she really, _really_ should know better – the rest of her was strangely buoyant, and her all the way to her office her steps were light.

* * *

The instant the door to the barracks closed behind him, Rex gave a deep exhale and lifted the towel to mop his face again; sometime during the course of his and Brenna's conversation he'd started sweating uncontrollably, and he hoped she hadn't noticed. She'd completely shocked him with her request, and he'd almost been too flummoxed to respond in an even semi-coherent manner.

Dinner. On the observation deck. With a civilian woman.

Well, it would certainly be a first for him. Beyond that, he didn't know what to think.

"There you are!"

Rex looked to his left to see Fives approaching from the rec room; behind the ARC, he could see Keen, Thrash and Imp gathered around a nearby deactivated dejarik table while Sergeants Coric and Silver were engaged in an impromptu arm-wrestling match. The crew of the _Resolute_ was between missions at the moment, which was why Rex had known right away that he'd be free to meet Brenna. The only reason it had taken him so long to respond to her request was simply because he'd been speechless; again, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to make of the fact.

Anyway, Fives' presence reminded him that he had a bone to pick with his brother, who had come to stand before him, brow lifted and face alight with curiosity. "Well? What did she want, Rex?"

Slinging his towel around his neck, Rex crossed his arms and cast Fives a steely glare. "I have another idea. Let's discuss your breach of protocol – and common-sense – on Ithor. Aside from the fact that you acted completely on your own, _without_ seeking permission from myself or either of the Jedi...bringing a civilian into a war-zone as you did...it's beyond dangerous"

"I know," Fives replied, his forehead creasing. "I already apologized to her, but I did warn her ahead of time-"

"That's not the point," Rex interjected as he shook his head. "Brenna is _not_ trained to deal with hostile situations of that nature; had something gone really wrong, she could have been injured, or worse."

At his words, Fives' expression shifted from vaguely chagrined to alert and slightly devious. "'Brenna?' What happened to 'Miss Damaris?' Does it have to do with why she wanted to see you?"

Rex gave a rapid exhale of irritation and shook his head. "Don't try to change the subject when we're discussing your near-insubordination. I have enough on my plate without worrying if you're going to go rogue at every turn and do as you please...without even consulting me, this time."

"I did what needed to be done," Fives replied in a curt tone. That, coupled with his spine straightened and his arms crossed before his chest, reminded Rex a little too much of the ARC's errant "mission" weeks ago on Umbara. "We were successful, in the end. No one got hurt – not even any of your men – and the civvie knew that she was walking into a war-zone. Unlike us, _she _gets hazard pay."

Now there was a bitter edge to Fives' voice that gave Rex pause. He glanced around at the rows of bunks that lined either side of the wall, noting the presence of a few clones besides those at the dejarik table, so he tilted his head and stepped to the side, behind a set of bunks that were partially hidden in shadow.

Once they were relatively out of sight and earshot of the others, he gave Fives another moment to calm down, then cast him a knowing look. "And what's _that _supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Rex narrowed his eyes and Fives sighed, lifting his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I dunno. Guess I'm just still pretty worked-up over Umbara, you know? Krell said a lot of stuff-"

"I know what he said," Rex replied, ignoring the tightening of his gut that had begun to accompany thoughts of the Besalisk Jedi – the traitor. "But that's in the past. We have to move on, Fives. We have to keep going."

Again, Fives crossed his arms before his chest, but it was not a combative pose, especially when he cast a glance around the barracks, to the other clones in various stages of relaxation. "I know. I'm trying to put it all behind me, but...it's not easy." He scowled to no one in particular and when he spoke his voice held an edge. "That traitor took more from us than brothers, didn't he?"

Rex nodded slowly, his fists tightening reflexively at his sides as he watched Chopper enter the room, take a seat on his bunk and start thumbing through a datapad. In the background, he could hear the other cheering as someone – Silver, he thought – had won the latest bout of arm-wrestling. Otherwise, it was quiet, more so than it should have been.

Neither one spoke for a moment before Fives shook his head and exhaled again. His arms uncrossed and he leaned one elbow against the bunk in a casual manner, lifting his brow at the captain. "So...what did she want, anyway? She looked awfully happy to see you striding out of the gym."

Now _that_ was a pleasant memory; Rex had to admit, the sight of Brenna's cheeks flushing a lovely pink was far preferable to most of the other things that had found their way into his mind, and he gave another slow nod, which Fives – naturally – latched onto.

"I'm just going to keep pestering you until you tell me. We ARCs are known for our tenacity."

At his brother's insistent tone, Rex gave a sigh of resignation, but did not uncross his arms. It occurred to him that he probably shouldn't reveal the true nature of Brenna's visit to give him the comlinks, but her flustered expression when she'd asked him to eat dinner with her had indicated that she was about as startled by the invitation as him.

A half-smile crossed Rex's face, but he smoothed it away before he glanced back at Fives. "She wants to...have dinner. Tomorrow. With me."

Rex allowed himself to take a measure of satisfaction at the way that Fives' jaw dropped, though the ARC recovered almost immediately as a wide, knowing grin spread across his face. "You have a _date._"

"What? No," Rex replied with a frown. He glanced around, making sure that no one was in earshot, but dropped the pitch of his voice, anyway. "It's not a _date._ Brenna and I are just going to share some food."

"And?"

"And what?"

Fives made a noise of exasperation and shook his head. "You're just going to sit in the same room with her and eat in silence?"

"Well, no," Rex replied, rolling his eyes. "I imagine we'll...talk, too."

"Are you going to kiss her?" Fives was grinning again, leaning forward to absorb every word.

Now _that _threw him for a loop. For a moment, Rex felt a flash of apprehension, because he had no clue what she expected of him in this situation. Battle-droids he could handle with ease, but this was not a matter that could be settled with a blaster-bolt, and he realized again just how much of a rookie he was at this civilian business. It was unsettling, to say the least.

However, rather than answer Fives directly, he gave a shrug. "I hardly know her. I can't imagine she'd be thrilled to have me try _that_ again." _Even if I'm sober this time._

At this, Fives gave a snort that sounded suspiciously like someone trying _not _to laugh, then slung his arm over Rex's shoulder. "You might be surprised, _vod_...I've seen how she looks at you. Besides, in my experience, most women don't want to spend time alone with a man that they dislike for any reason."

It was a valid point, but Rex's attention caught on the first part of the statement. "What do you mean, 'how she looks at me?'"

Fives chuckled in earnest at this, and tightened his arm around Rex's shoulders. "Come on, Rex...she hardly _noticed _me when I was around, but the second _you_ appeared she practically had to pick her jaw up off of the floor."

There was no ready response that came to Rex's mind, so he merely gave a bewildered shake of his head while trying to fight back a smile at the very idea that _he'd_ elicited such a reaction in the brown-haired woman. In response, Fives laughed again and withdrew his arm so that he could give Rex a brotherly slap on the back. "One more word of advice? Don't wear your armor_. _Too troublesome to remove if you're in a hurry...for _any_ reason."

Ignoring the innuendo in the ARC's voice, Rex leveled a glare at the other trooper. "That reminds me...I was planning on punishing you for the other night, but now I think I'll be satisfied if you owe me a favor."

"What kind of favor?" Fives asked in a wary voice.

Rex lifted a brow. "When I think of it, I'll let you know."

* * *

_Sigh. That Fives is incorrigible. :P _

_Bonus chapter! :D This was one of my favorite chapters in the entire fic, so I decided to share it for my birthday!_

_ However, I'm sorry to disappoint those of you who wanted Brenna to go into the clones' gym; I tried to suppress the bulk of my rabid-fangirl propensities as much as possible so that the _story_ would take precedence. Jury's still out on how well I managed. ;)  
_

_Okay, this is kind of silly, but when Bren spots Rex striding out of the gym, I picture it happening in slow-motion, perhaps with a really awesome guitar riff playing in the background...oh, what the heck. The song in my head is "Lonely Boy," by the Black Keys.  
_

_Don't forget to review! ;)  
_

_Next time: first "date!"  
_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

The next evening, Brenna arrived at the observation deck several minutes early so that she could prepare. As she'd promised Rex, she'd brought along an assortment of foods, mostly non-perishables that she and Marliss stocked up on whenever they had a chance; she had no idea if he would like any of it, but it was a much better option than anything from the mess-hall.

Located at the stern of the _Venator_-class cruiser, the _Resolute_'s observation deck was perhaps the only section on the massive ship whose purpose was not entirely functional. Officially, it had been designed to offer any non-military personnel a place to observe space-battles without getting underfoot of the bridge crew, though she'd also heard that it was sometimes used to hold negotiations among various, conflicting parties.

Overlooking the hyperdrive generator at the ship's stern, the observation deck was not particularly wide; rather, it was shaped as a sweeping crescent, with one whole wall outfitted with transparisteel to provide the occupants with an unobstructed view of the stars. There were several sturdy conference tables set at intervals throughout the room, bolted to the floor in case of turbulence; otherwise the space was otherwise bare, as the view of the stars was meant to be the main feature.

Presently the _Resolute _was at rest in the Tel System; as Brenna unpacked her assortment of foods she could see a faint flare of emerald beyond the ship: the aptly named Green Nebula. Surrounding it and taking up the rest of her vision were stars and the dizzying blackness of space.

It felt too formal to drag over some of the chairs stacked at the room's edge in order to sit at any of the tables, but nor did it feel right to sit on the floor; she compromised by settling on top of the central table, spreading out the food in the center and dangling her legs over the table's edge while she waited.

It was quiet. Brenna glanced at her chrono: _seventeen-fifty-four_. Six minutes to go. She took a deep breath to quell the fluttering in her stomach and smoothed out the front of her button-down shirt. After a seemingly endless mental debate about what to wear, she'd settled on her preferred style of dress so that the whole thing would feel nice and casual, in case he was as nervous as she was. Satisfied that her shirt was as wrinkle-free as it was going to get, she began to rearrange the food packages, all the while wondering again what the kriff she was doing.

_This is not going to end well, _she told herself as she fiddled with the containers before her. _You always do this...you get your hopes up, fall all over yourself for a guy, then lose everything when he changes his mind. Which he will do, inevitably. _It had happened with Tucker nearly three years ago, and about two years before that with Arcas, whom she'd met at University.

One of the last things that her mother had said to her was that Brenna had a knack for picking the worst men with whom to fall in love.

She should have called tonight off, but she didn't. She should have walked out of the observation room and never looked back, but she remained in place, waiting. She definitely shouldn't have recalled Rex's touch at her elbow or the way he'd held hre gaze when he said, _"I always mean what I say, Miss Damaris. You can count on that."_

Something within her heart wanted to believe him, so she folded her hands in her lap and kept looking at the stars.

A soft hiss alerted her to a door opening, and when she twisted around she caught the sight of Rex slipping into the room with the air of someone entering uncharted territory. Almost as if he'd shared her own sentiments about keeping things low-key, he was not wearing his armor; instead he was dressed the navy-blue short-sleeved shirt and trousers that the clones favored when they were off-duty, though she noted that he had not abandoned his utility belt.

For the briefest moment they looked at one another, then she offered him a smile. "You're right on time."

He didn't respond immediately, instead taking several steps forward until he was about an arm's length from her. She watched him absorb the sight of the food she'd brought first, his eyes slowly traveling to her face, which was when he lifted his brow. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

There was a pause while he eyed her legs as they dangled over the table's edge, then he shifted his gaze to the chairs that were stacked across the room; she wondered if he'd say something, but he simply turned and hoisted himself on the table-top as well. After he did so, he cast another glance around the room, pausing to look at the massive window.

Brenna indicated the spread of food between them. "I don't know what you like, so I brought some of everything."

"I can see that," he replied, glancing down at the array before looking at her again. "But I should warn you: I'm not familiar with any of this." As he spoke, he reached for a package of topato chips and skimmed his fingertips across it thoughtfully.

"Well, like I said, it's mostly non-perishable," she said, straightening as she began to point out the various foodstuffs. "I divided everything up: salty, spicy and sweet."

Along with the food, she'd brought several bottles of _kolla_, a sweet, carbonated beverage that was a rare treat aboard a ship such as this, and handed him one. "Don't worry," she said in a light voice as he examined the label. "It's non-alcoholic."

At her words his eyes shot back up to hers; however, when he saw that she was smiling, she watched as a slow, slightly embarrassed grin spread across his face. "Good to know," he replied with a low chuckle as he ducked his head. "I don't think you'd appreciate me making a _di'kut_ of myself a second time."

"I've also made an idiot of myself on more than one occasion," she replied as she twisted off the cap and took a sip of the drink. "So no judgment, here."

As she'd spoken, his brows drew together for an instant; however at the end of her words, Rex's smile widened, and in the dim light of the room she could barely make out a slight reddening of his ears, which, when coupled with his pleased expression, caused her to grow tongue-tied again. For a moment they were quiet and she watched him take a swallow of the beverage; when he eyed it with appreciation she had to laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asked, glancing her way with curiosity.

"It's good, isn't it?"

He took another swig and nodded. "It's sweet, and..." There was a pause while he considered. "Bubbly."

"It's carbonated," she replied with another smile. "My daughter loves it – all kids do, I guess – but it's really not good for them. Well," she added, taking another sip. "It's not really_ good _for anyone. Tasty, though."

At her words, Rex set his bottle down and selected the package of ootoowerg-flavored topato chips he'd picked up before. As he pulled the seam apart, he cast her a glance. "You have a daughter?"

Brenna hesitated, but his expression held nothing but curiosity. After a moment, she began to toy with the bottom of the _kolla _bottle. Even though it was much too soon to think of anything like this, she couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before the reality of her situation became more than he wanted to deal with, and when it did, if he would turn away from her as Tucker had done.

Perhaps a trace of her thoughts flickered across her face, because he added: "I saw the pictures in your office. She looks like you."

With the words he offered her a warm look, which caused some of her tension to fade. Finally, Brenna nodded. "Irini's almost two years old," she said, reaching for a bag of honey sticks and keeping her voice calm. "And she's completely perfect. My brother, Caith, and his family on Alderaan are watching her for me while I work out my contract with the GAR."

"Alderaan...I've never been," he said as he picked up a container of caramelized pkneb, brow furrowing as he studied the label. She watched him lift off the top and select one of the sticky pkneb nuggets,then gave a chuckle when he pulled a face and set the container down while trying to swallow the distasteful bite.

"Here, try these." She held out the bag of the honey sticks, which he accepted, beaming at her a moment later as he tasted one, then making to reach for another. "Alderaan is...beautiful," she said at last, leaning back on her hands and looking out of the transparisteel window. "I've been to dozens and dozens of worlds, but I've never found one that compares to my home. I'm glad that Iri can grow up there, though I do wish..."

She trailed off, feeling foolish for the wistful tone of her voice, but he seemed to understand. "You wish you were with her." When she nodded, he glanced down at the bag in his hand, then back at her. "I can't imagine what it must be like to be away from your child."

"It's...awful," she admitted, shaking her head and sitting up to clasp her hands before her. "But I don't have many other options. I've got a pretty lucrative contract with the army; I'm able to send money home to help Caith with her expenses, as well as set some funds aside for Iri and I to live on once I'm done with all this."

The inevitable question hung in the air between them, but she could see that Rex was reluctant to ask, because it was rather personal and he likely wasn't certain if she would be willing to speak of it. She saved him the dilemma. "Her father isn't around." At his pained look she shook her head. "He's not dead. He's just...not around."

Rex's brows knitted and he shook his head in confusion. "Forgive me if this is too forward, but does he...know about Irini?"

"He knows," she replied as she turned to look at the stars again. Tucker's face – somehow so different from Rex's despite their shared genetics – flickered in her mind's eye, and her heart felt heavy with regret. _I can't do this, Bren. _"He just...wasn't ready to be a father."

At these words, his face darkened with a scowl, and she watched his hand tighten over the bag of honey sticks. "I know that we don't know each other very well, Brenna, but that's...well." He seemed to search for an acceptable word, then exhaled deeply and gave a slight shake of his head. "That's low. Some men would love to have-"

With this, she watched his ears go red again and he took another swig of the drink but said nothing else for a beat; finally, he gave her a cautious look, as if assessing her reaction to his almost-words before he continued. "Do you have any other siblings?"

"Just Caith," she replied as she reached her hand to take a honey stick from the bag in his grasp; as she did so, he held the bag out for her to take, but she shook her head and only selected a single stick. "His wife, Edme, is wonderful. They have a son – Tavi – who's about six years old, now." She paused, then added: "My mother lives on Alderaan as well, but I haven't spoken to her since before Iri was born."

At his look, she gave him a tight smile. "I left home when I was about seventeen...she wasn't pleased." Brenna paused, then sighed inwardly as she prepared herself for the inevitable. "Are you ready to run, yet?"

"Run?" He shook his head in confusion, then his brows lifted as he studied her. "Why would I run?"

"Rex, my life is kind of a mess," she said after moment. "And...well...I understand if you don't want to...that is..." She frowned and took a breath, her eyes dropping to her knees automatically as she continued. "Not that we're...you know...but just so you're aware. My life is...tangled."

Rather than reply right away, he set down the honey sticks and selected another package – she couldn't see from this angle, but she thought it was salted bang-corn – taking a moment to study it before he replied in a quiet voice. "Then I guess we have that in common."

It was then that he cast her one of his cautious looks, and she could see that he was gauging her reaction to his words. "But if it's any consolation, I don't think anyone's life is simple. I know that I don't know much about some things," he added with a faint, distant frown. "But I do know that."

"Complications make life interesting, I guess," she said with a lift of her brow.

He gave a bitter sort of laugh, and nodded. "So I've heard."

* * *

The date was strange, at first, stranger than almost anything he'd ever experienced, but gradually Rex found himself relaxing more and more.

Of course, he had not expected to get as angry as he had when she said that her child's father wasn't around, but when he'd heard _that_...well, it took more control than he would have liked to dial his reaction back, because in that moment, had the low-life in question walked by...

Rex would have liked to give him a few bruises, at the very least.

Anyway, it was no good to dwell on such a thing right now, so instead he took another swig of the _kolla _and wondered if Fives had ever had it, because it was delicious. Sweet and fizzy, with just the right amount of bite, and it he could tell that it had the energizing properties of caf, which he knew his brother would like, should he ever get a hold of any.

As he was momentarily distracted by the beverage, Brenna caught him off-guard again. "So what about you? What's messy in your life?"

Rex felt his breath hitch. Lately, there was a kind of dark that consumed him, more cloying than the vastness beyond the window; sometimes, in his mind's eye he could still see the haze of Umbara that obscured and choked, and hear Krell's voice echoing in his ears.

This moment, with Brenna and the _kolla_ – even with the disgusting caramelized pkneb – was...nice, he realized. Bizarre also, because he was well-aware that he was no civilian, no average person, yet he was participating in something that was common to galactic citizens. He was sharing a quiet, albeit unusual meal with with a lovely young woman, who even now was looking at him with undisguised interest. Speaking of his discontent would sully the moment, tarnish it somehow, and he had no wish to set his own troubles upon her.

A part of his mind urged him to speak, as she was still looking at him, though her expression was growing more solemn; she'd laid out the bare facts of her own life and was clearly waiting for him to reciprocate. However, he was strong. Rex knew that he could handle whatever she could possibly throw his way, but he still wasn't sure if it would be the same for her. Some burdens were too heavy to bear, and he thought that she had enough on her unarmored shoulders.

"Everything okay?"

He'd been quiet for too long, of course. Rex nodded and shifted in place. "Sorry...I have a bad habit of thinking too much, sometimes."

"It's alright," she replied, her hand lifting to smooth back an errant strand of hair, which was when he caught the scent again, the nice one that he'd noticed before. "This is kind of odd, isn't it? I mean," she indicated the meal, the table and the stretch of space beyond the window. "It's nice, but it's..."

"Odd, yes." He offered her a smile that she returned, which pleased him. "But-"

He was going to say "_very_ nice," but that was the moment that his _kriffing_ comlink chose to start chirruping. Immediately upon activation, General Skywalker's voice filled the space between them.

"_Rex?"_

"General." At the sound of his own name, Rex immediately slid to his feet and lifted his wristcomm.

"_I need you on the bridge at once; we've got a situation."_ Before Rex could reply, the transmission ended; it was unlike Skywalker to do so without even confirming that he'd heard him, or acknowledging that he was interrupting Rex's off-duty time, but Rex only gave those things a cursory thought. He had a job to do, after all.

However...

Brenna was looking at him with an expression he couldn't read, which was unsettling, as he thought he'd been a pretty fair judge of her so far. Her hands were folded in her lap and her back was straight, and he could detect tension in her posture.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "But..."

She nodded. "I know. Duty calls, right?" There was a pause before she added: "It was nice, though."

The seconds that he was making his general wait were ticking by in his head, so Rex's reply was perhaps more rushed than it should have been. "It was, thank you. Goodnight, Brenna."

As he nodded to her and headed for the door, he thought that he caught the briefest flash of disappointment on her face; however, there was no time to dwell on it now. Later, he told himself. He'd deal with it later.

Both Skywalker and Ahsoka were on the bridge, facing a holo-projector, though only Ahsoka glanced at him when he entered; her eyes flickered over his fatigues and he gave a mental wince, as it was most definitely against regulation to appear on the bridge in such a casual state. But it there was no helping it, as it took too long to suit up and there had been an unusual urgency in General Skywalker's tone.

Rex came to a halt about a meter from each Jedi and slid his body into parade-rest. "What's the situation, sir?"

"A call from the Temple," Skywalker said with a frown, waving his arm at a holo-proj to activate it. "Never a dull moment around here."

Immediately, the flickering form of General Windu appeared before them, his expression even more grave than usual. _"General Skywalker: the Jedi Council has just received word of a potential Separatist attack at our base on Ord Mantell – possibly with a seismic tank, as was used on Dantooine." _

The Battle of Dantooine was legendary among clone troopers; since so few had survived the tank's attack, only a handful had actually seen the Korun Jedi Master in action. Rex had heard the stories of how General Windu had defeated an entire droid legion and the massive weapon almost single-handedly, without his lightsaber for much of the time.

It was one of those stories that had – in the past – made him swell with admiration and respect for the Jedi. Now, it served to remind Rex of the extremes to which the Force-users could swing, that despite their preternatural abilities, they were still quite mortal, still quite capable of making mistakes and errors in judgment. Having that kind of power didn't necessarily mean that a Jedi would use it for good, a fact that Rex had seen firsthand.

Skywalker crossed his arms and studied the Jedi Master for a moment before a wry smile came to his face. "Didn't feel like handling this one, Master?"

In his fashion, General Windu seemed not to notice Skywalker's flippant tone, instead ignoring the comment and continuing. _"You are to make for Ord Mantell at once and provide support to our forces there; additionally, if the intel about the seismic tank is correct, you are to destroy it without delay."_

"Will do, Master," General Skywalker replied with a nod. Once the transmission ended, he glanced at the helm. "Set our coordinates for Ord Mantell at once."

"Affirmative, sir," came the swift reply. "We should arrive within five standard hours."

Skywalker nodded again, then shot a look back at Rex, who noted that his smirk that did not reach his eyes. "Should be enough time to get suited up, Captain."

In the past, such a comment would have held notes of teasing, which was the general's way; Skywalker was known for his informality and his casual address of those under his command, but there was no trace of friendly mockery in his words. There _was_ a note of weariness, as if the young Jedi was tired or even disappointed; however, since Rex had been off-duty and Skywalker wasn't a stickler for proper procedure, Rex figured that something _else_ must be going on with him.

Even though this Jedi was not known for keeping his emotions as stable as they should have been, Rex knew him well enough to understand that _something_ was wrong. And if something was wrong with the general, Rex needed to know what; the more information he had, the better prepared he was to lead those under his command.

A warm look from Ahsoka provided another measure of reassurance, and Rex forced his shoulders to relax. There was nothing he could do anyway, save observe General Skywalker closely, especially if Ahsoka had noticed similar bouts of moodiness as she'd mentioned before.

"I'll see to it that the men are prepared, sir," Rex said with a salute. "Don't worry, General; everyone will be armored."

The corner of the Jedi's mouth lifted into a smile, but he almost immediately gave a mild frown of annoyance and ducked his head to rub at his eyes as he spoke again. "Oh, I almost forgot: Appo will be arriving with the new guys should sometime within the next few days. I trust you can help them acclimate to life on the _Resolute, _Captain."

With that, Skywalker turned and began to pace towards the massive, transparisteel window of the bridge, his hands clasped behind his back and his tread heavy. Ahsoka turned to Rex, clearly about to speak, but before she could, the Jedi Knight called her name. She shot the captain another faint smile, then hurried to her master's side, leaving Rex alone.

* * *

_Many thanks to the ladies of my writing group, who helped me come up with appropriate-sounding Star Wars snacks. (Bang-corn, anyone? :P)_

_Awww...and the date got cut short. :( But look...more plot-ish things! Rex kept insisting to me that this was _his_ story and it wasn't _just_ a romance, but sometimes I have to wonder.  
_

_Just so we're all clear: Tucker is Iri's dad - yes, he's a clone - and you'll learn more about him very soon, I promise. Arcas, (a non-clone), was Bren's boyfriend a few years before she met Tucker, and he left her as well. _

_Thanks for reading!  
_

_Next time: Brenna's POV on the end of the date, while Rex and Co. are on the way to Ord Mantell.  
_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten **

As she watched Rex disappear out the door that led from the observation deck, Brenna tried not to feel disappointed. Until he'd been called away, she thought that the experience had been...fun. A bit strange, as they'd each acknowledged, but not unpleasant. They had each laughed a bit, the food was nice, the view was beautiful...all were key elements in a positive interaction.

But he'd made no indication that he wanted to see her again – even _speak _to her again – and she felt deflated, just a bit more than she should have.

As she slid off of the table and began to pack up the remnants of their meal, she mentally reprimanded herself, because she should have known better than to mistake his kindness for attraction. Likely he was just being polite, as the clones had been trained to act around civilians. After she slipped out of the observation deck and began to make her way to her cabin, she wondered if Rex had been relieved to be called away by the Jedi, as it had saved him from having to continue the charade any longer.

Again, she'd made the wrong choice, and again she was feeling the consequences of falling for – even in the earliest stages – a man who was wholly unsuitable and unprepared for any kind of commitment. As she'd told Marliss, it was silly to expect more from the clones; they simply weren't made for anything long-term, in more ways than one. It was a harsh reality, but it was one with which she was painfully accustomed. Her life was tangled and his was too short to spend trying to help her unravel the knots.

Still, she liked him. _Had_ liked him.

But it didn't matter.

When she reached her and Marliss' cabin, she disposed of the empty food packages and put away the leftovers, then took a seat on her bunk and pulled out her comlink to call Alderaan. Talking to Iri always made her feel better. However, after there was no answer, she glanced at her chrono and frowned, realizing that it was a time when none of her brother's family would be home just yet. She sighed and set her comlink in her pocket, then cast a glance around the empty room and tried to push away the swell of loneliness that had appeared in her chest.

Just as she was about to admit defeat and go to sleep, the door to the room opened and Marliss strode in, coming off of her shift rotation. When her eyes fell on Brenna, she frowned and shut the door behind her. "Back already?"

"He got called away by the Jedi," Brenna replied, folding her legs beneath her and setting her hands in her lap.

Marliss nodded, but still looked skeptical. "Well, I guess that's understandable, but you look...unhappy. Did something else happen?"

There was a pause, then Brenna shrugged. "He didn't seem to want to...see me again. And I'm just..." She smoothed back her hair and shook her head, as if to dispel the continuing feeling of disappointment. "I...liked him. But it's okay. It's fine. Serves me right for falling for another clone."

"_Another_ clone?" Marliss' eyes widened and she slid before Brenna on the bed, still in her mechanic's jumpsuit. There were dark, greasy splotches on the fabric, but Brenna held her tongue because the look on her roommate's face was nothing short of astonished.

Brenna paused again, considering. Although she and Marliss got along fairly well, they hadn't known each other a terribly long time, and she hadn't shared all aspects of her past with her roommate. Finally she nodded. "Iri's father is a commando named Tucker."

"Kriff," Marliss said, green eyes round as saucers. "Bren, I didn't know..."

"Well, I don't talk about him too much," Brenna replied. "It's kind of a sore subject."

The blonde woman bent to remove her boots, tossing them to the floor with two _thuds_ before glancing back at Brenna. "Okay, you really need to catch me up here. So...Iri's dad is a clone named Tucker?"

"We met at my first posting on Andara, back at the start of the War. I'd never seen a Fett clone before; Tucker was the first one I really got to know."

Despite herself, Brenna smiled at the memory of the jovial young man who'd swept her off her feet. "Tucker was...incredible. Vibrant. Full of energy and passion...it was impossible _not_ to like him, and I fell for him, hard. But I have this awful habit of...forgetting myself around men I'm attracted to, you know? I get all flustered and stupid, and forget simple things – like contraception."

She glanced at Marliss, who was watching her with an unreadable expression. At her look, the blonde woman nodded for her to continue, so Brenna took a deep breath. "When I found out that I was pregnant, we'd only been seeing each other – casually, mind you – for about three months. After I told him, everything changed."

"How?"

Brenna sighed again. "He got...scared. For the first time since I'd met him, he was really and truly terrified. Everything was so new, then...not just the clones, but the War; so much was uncertain...I think he panicked. I told him and he said that he couldn't handle it. The next day, he and his squad were gone.

"I tried to contact him quite a number of times, but he never replied. Eventually I gave up, but I've kept track of his number ever since, in case Iri ever wants to find him; he's still alive, but I'm not sure where he is, now."

There was a moment of absolute silence before Marliss took a breath in the manner of someone who was trying to calm herself. When she looked at Brenna, her eyes were sad. "I'm sorry, Bren. That's..."

Brenna gave a tight smile. "It's okay. I mean, it's _not_ okay – it's an awful situation all around – but I can't let myself be too upset with him. Tucker was so young, Mar, I see that now."

"You weren't exactly an old biddy at...what? Twenty-one when you found out you were pregnant?" Marliss asked.

Nodding, Brenna gave a deep inhale, because it was always difficult to speak about Tucker; doing so brought back a lot of memories, many of which she tried not to think about. "At the time we were both just having fun, but now..."

She frowned and looked down at her folded hands. "It was a mistake, on both of our parts: he shouldn't have taken off the way he did, but I shouldn't have gotten involved with him in the first place. Maybe I shouldn't have even expected him to act any differently once he found out I was pregnant. But since I can't go back and change things, I'm just trying to make them right, from here on out."

"So...what happened tonight, with your blond captain?" Marliss asked after a moment. "You really think he doesn't like you?"

"It's way, way to soon to go into all the details with Tucker," she replied. "But I'm sure he heard enough to get an idea of what he was in for. Mar, their lives are so short; can you blame any of them for not wanting to spend what time they do have with someone complicated?"

In response, Marliss gave her a knowing look. "Even I know that they're not all the same. Rex _isn't_ Tucker."

"I know that, too," Brenna replied with a frown. "It's just...difficult."

Rex's face came to her mind's eye, along with his words from the previous day: _"I always mean what I say...you can count on that."_

Perhaps it was true, but she didn't think she'd ever get to find out.

Marliss shifted on the bed, a thoughtful expression on her face as if she was trying to sort out a puzzle. "Maybe he just didn't know how you felt, so he decided to be cautious. They don't have much experience with women, right? That's the impression I got with Jesse."

It was a valid point, but Brenna suddenly felt too tired to think about it any more, so she gave Marliss a small smile. "Yeah, maybe. I'll give it a few days and see how I feel. Thanks for..."

There was a pause while Brenna fumbled for the right words, but Marliss made a _pfft _noise as she rose and made her way for the 'fresher, leaving a smudge of grease in her wake. "It's the least I can do after I got engine grease all over your bed. Besides," she added with a smile at the brown-haired woman. "Isn't that what friends are for?"

* * *

Six hours later, Rex and the rest of Torrent Company found themselves scattered aboard a few LAAT/i transports, dropping into the pink-hued, upper atmosphere of Ord Mantell as the pilots searched for a suitable landing zone. By all accounts, Ord Mantell was a pretty world, rife with lush, green mountains and vast inland seas; there were only a few inhabited areas, but they were densely populated by locals and tourists alike, especially when compared to the outlying rural communities, which were few and far between.

Their destination, the Republic base, was in one of these areas, far away from any of the cities so not to hinder the planet's appeal to vacationers. Apparently, potential tourists didn't want to be reminded of the ongoing Wars.

The troop transport's whine seemed louder than it ever had before, and Rex was thankful for the dampers in his bucket that blocked the worst of the noise; however, there was nothing to be done for the turbulence that seemed common in Ord Mantell's atmo other than grasp the handles that dangled from the ceiling and try to keep his footing. Once, when the transport hit a particularly rough patch of air, Rex had to stop Tup from falling over by grabbing a hold of the trooper's belt.

"Hang on, Tup," he called through the internal comm channel.

The younger clone's reply was edged with embarrassment. "Sorry, sir."

There was more chagrin to his words than should have been there for such a minor lapse; such a tone had become more and more common among his men since Umbara. "It's okay, lad," Rex replied in a mild voice. "No need to apologize. Gravity affects all of us equally."

Tup nodded but didn't say anything more, and for a few minutes no one spoke at all over the comm channels, instead letting the distant, humming drone of the larty's engines fill the space. Rex shot a glance through the slotted sides of the transport, noting that he still couldn't make out the ground below and wondering how long it would be before they were able to land; the nature of the fly-zones over the cities made it damn near impossible to drop in like normal. Instead, precious minutes were wasted flying around as the pilot searched for an "acceptable" landing zone that wouldn't disturb the ordinary citizens.

To Rex's way of thinking, it was beyond foolish. Never mind the fact that there was a battle happening at this very moment, and every second that ticked by equaled more lives lost.

Beside him, Fives was shifting in place, his mannerisms indicating that the ARC was also anxious. After a moment, Rex heard the soft _ding_ that indicated a private comm channel had been opened. "What's up, Fives?"

"You never told me how your 'not-date' went."

Rex rolled his eyes behind his visor. "This is hardly the time-"

"This is _exactly_ the kriffing time," Fives protested. "It's not like we have anything else to do. Now come on: how'd it go?"

Not for the first time since he'd left her, Brenna's face came to his mind's eye and Rex frowned to himself. She had looked disappointed when he left, but he was uncertain as to why; she seemed to understand that his duty came first, but her expression indicated otherwise.

Finally he sighed. "It was...nice, I guess. She brought some civvie food – good stuff, not rations – and we ate. We talked a bit, too. But it got cut short when the general called me for this mission, so I had to leave."

Beside him, Fives' bucket tilted in an almost imperceptible nod. "And?"

"And what?"

"When are you going to see her next?"

At this, Rex frowned again. "I don't know, Fives. I didn't...that is..." He sighed and resisted the urge to remove his helmet and rub at his forehead. "I had to go, so I left. We didn't make...further plans."

There was a beat of silence, then Fives let loose a string of multi-lingual swears that were new even to Rex, adding: "I thought you liked her?"

"I _do_ like her," Rex replied, puzzled at the ARC's attitude. "But as I said, I had to go."

Fives gave a dramatic sigh. "And what did _she_ think about that?"

Thinking over the moment, Rex shook his head. "She seemed...disappointed, I guess. But I didn't get to talk to her about it, because I didn't have time to linger. Why are you so bent out of shape?"

"For Force's sake, Rex," Fives said, turning his visor so that he was facing the captain. "If you just walk out like that...well, it's like saying that you don't _want_ to see her again. You can't just leave without at least giving her some kind of assurance that you'd like future contact."

A flash of chagrin swept through Rex, causing his hand to tighten over the dangling handle; beneath his boots he could feel the vibration of the LAAT/i's engines. "Fives, I'm a soldier," he said after a moment, thinking of Brenna and her daughter. "I don't really have much of a future to offer her, or anyone else."

"You of all people should know differently," the ARC replied in an irritated voice that grew more insistent as he continued to speak. "You're a _man_, remember? _Not_ just a clone and _not_ just a soldier."

There was a pause that Rex took to be deliberate, so that the words could sink in. When Fives spoke again, the irritation had fled, replaced with a odd mixture of exasperation and affection. "Look, from where I'm standing, a pretty girl that you admit to liking _also_ likes you and – for some unknown reason – wants to spend her limited free time with you. Brother, if you let this chance pass, you're an idiot."

With that, the ARC gave a huff and silenced the comm channel, leaving Rex alone with his thoughts. It hadn't occurred to him that Brenna might read a snub in his actions, but the realization only served to highlight just how vast the differences were between the two of them.

Each interaction that he had with Brenna, while enjoyable, gave him further proof that their worlds were just too different to comfortably intersect. In many ways, the distinctions were even more notable than those between the clones and the Jedi; at least those two groups were bound by the common experience of the Wars, and with the earlier years of their lives spent cloistered away from the rest of the galaxy in rigorous training.

As a civilian, Brenna Damaris was unused to violence of any kind. Based on her reaction to the skirmish on Ithor, he doubted she'd even _seen _a battle-droid before - or held a blaster, for that matter.

It was intriguing that she seemed to know a little bit of Mando'a, though, and he wondered if she was simply observant, or had spent more time around clones that he'd reckoned. Anyway, it didn't matter, because she also had a daughter, and an extended family who very likely loved and missed her while she was away. She deserved someone with a strong future, someone who had something to offer besides a impeccable aim and half a normal life-span.

The understanding hit him harder than it should have: whatever it was that had sprung up between them shouldn't keep progressing. Whether or not she _liked _him, it simply wasn't fair to her – or, by extension, her young daughter.

Rex thought it was prudent not to wait any longer; since the larty was still circling he had a moment, so he withdrew a spare comlink from a pouch on his belt and was preparing to tap off a quick message to her, when the entire transport gave a violent shudder, causing him to tumble most ungracefully to his chest, the comlink clattering to the floor and out of his sight. Moments later, he felt his arms being lifted; looking up, he smiled to himself as Tup helped him to his feet.

"Gravity got you down, sir?" There was a grin in the younger clone's voice, which made Rex give a chuckle despite the other things on his mind.

"Looks that way," he replied as he righted himself and reached for a handle above his head. A scan of the floor of the transport revealed that the comlink was indeed gone; moments later he heard the pilot say that a suitable landing-zone had been found and they were beginning their descent. "Thanks for helping me up, Tup."

Tup gave a laugh. "Any time, Captain."

* * *

_More background info about Brenna and her daughter; it was probably pretty clear that Iri's dad was a clone, but here's the confirmation and backstory. (So, does Bren have a "thing" for clones? :P)_

_The dynamic between Fives and Rex was a lot of fun to write. In some ways, Rex really does need someone to nudge him in the right direction, which Fives is more than happy to do.  
_

_This is silly, but I'm proud of the "gravity" joke. It comes up again. ;)  
_

_Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review!  
_

_Next time: seismic tank!  
_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

As it turned out, the rumors of the seismic tank were true.

Rarely had Rex come across such raw, destructive power on this scale; surrounded by thousands of battle-droids which prevented the clones from getting too close, the massive vehicle hovered along the countryside, pausing at any settlement and pummeling its cylindrical driver into the ground with a sound worse than any kind of thunder. There was a moment of stillness before it moved on. When it did, nothing was left in its wake besides crushed, crumbled buildings and churned ground.

The first time Rex saw this happen in person, his men were in the process of coordinating with the 317th Battalion, who'd been stationed on the Republic base. A rumbling had sounded in the distance, and they had all turned to see a massive shadow approaching over a nearby hill.

Since he'd studied the vids of General Windu, he'd instantly recognized the weapon, as well as the corresponding drop of his stomach to his feet, which was an all-too-familiar sensation in the heat of battle.

At Rex's word, the soldiers had sprung into action; they'd kept out from the way of the center of the tank, where its pulverizing capabilities lay, instead making for the clanker army that was surrounding the machine. Based on the vids he'd seen, the backlash of dirt and displaced air from the driver of the tank was brutal, so Rex gave the order for everyone to stay as far back as they could. As he'd done so, he'd watched Ahsoka and General Skywalker vault over the heads of the clones, towards the body of the tank itself, where their presence would do the most damage.

That had been hours ago. In the time since, Rex had only caught glimpses of the Jedi's lightsabers as they worked to demolish the vehicle; however, most of his attention was focused on keeping his men alive amidst a veritable sea of droids, the waves of which kept coming. The casualties were going to be severe: he'd been unable to do anything other than watch as Cay got separated from the group and overrun by a group of B1s; Sergeant Silver had taken a blow to the leg, but he'd gotten back up again, thankfully; many men from the 317th fell around him, and each time he regretted that he hadn't had time to learn their names.

"Rexter!"

The familiar voice filled him with relief and regret all at once; looking up, he watched as Ahsoka somersaulted over his head, coming to a perfect landing right beside him. In the brightness of the day, he could see that she was coated in brown dust, the markings on her _lekku _obscured and dulled, and apparently she'd gotten several new scrapes.

Despite all of that, or perhaps because of it, she was still dazzling.

For a moment they stood back-to-back, she deflecting blaster-bolts while he sent streaks of plasma towards the droids that were trying to overrun their position. It was a familiar pattern, and it brought him a strange measure of comfort, considering the circumstances.

Ahsoka moved like wind, like rain. Gravity seemed to have no effect on her as she spun and twisted, bending her body at impossible angles and speeds to deflect the incoming fire. The glow of her sabers was bright even in the daytime, and her sky-blue eyes flashed with the kind of determination he'd always admired.

At one point she flipped over his head a second time, launching herself off of the ground to defend his other side; as he couldn't prevent himself from watching her move, her body crossed before Ord Mantell's sun and for an instant he was blinded by the fierce light, even with the glare-filter in his helmet. When she hit the ground again, he could still see spots dancing before his eyes.

When there was a break in the fire, he glanced her way. "The general?"

A strange, pained expression crossed her face, and she indicated the direction she'd come. "Still at the tank. He told me to help you guys."

"We need it," Rex replied, ducking as another round of fire was leveled towards him by a group of super battle droids. Normally it took a slew of blaster-bolts to fell an SBD, but Rex knew the exact spots to aim for maximum damage, so he watched in satisfaction as the lot of them collapsed to the ground only a few moments after he'd let loose.

They fought side-by-side for several more minutes, until she sprang away from him to provide cover to a pair of the medics of the 317th who were working in tandem to drag a two fallen men to the relative shelter of a pile of droid-pieces.

Suddenly, he heard a shout over the comm. It sounded like a male voice, but it wasn't a clone; the instant he realized that it was General Skywalker, the ground beneath his feet gave a violent shudder and a distant sort of roar met his ears. A single glance told Rex all he needed to know; save for a few men of the 317th and a heap of dead tinnies he was alone, and his stomach did that horrible plummeting-to-his-knees thing again, because in the chaos and confusion of battle he'd gotten _too kriffing close._

"Everyone clear the area, _now_!"

Rex heard himself shouting and thought that his voice sounded distant and strange. Time had slowed to the consistency of thick mud as he blinked into his HUD and watched what appeared to be a tidal wave of dust rolling away from the tank, heading right for his position. A streak of sienna and glowing emerald indicated that Ahsoka had managed to leap away, but beyond that he wasn't sure where anyone else was, let alone himself.

Again, Rex called to the men of the 317th who were nearby, but before he could finish the words, the wind and dust were thundering into his back, plucking him off of his feet and tossing him up, up in the air, higher than any Human should have been without the use of some kind of repulsion system.

While Rex was airborne he was briefly reminded of Geonosis, when the Jedi dropped him with the Force. He hadn't been pleased with the act – and that was putting it mildly – but he'd ultimately trusted them not to let him plummet to his death, just as he'd trusted them to take care of his men as best they could, even while they were all at war.

But now he couldn't see anything below him; everything, his men, the droids they had been fighting, Ahsoka...they were all obscured by the dust. For the space of a heartbeat he was alone. Was this it? Was this how he would meet his end? Somehow he'd always thought that it would have been a blaster-bolt to the chest...

For one moment, one brief moment that somehow seemed to stretch into eternity, he was weightless. Insubstantial.

Then, Rex fell.

* * *

_Darkness surrounded him, darkness and mist. Flashes of light. Shouts. The ground shuddered beneath his boots and as he watched the writhing enemy vehicle approaching, Rex felt exposed even within the shell of his armor. Around him, bodies of brothers littered the area and those that still stood were firing upon one another, despite the absence of their helmets, which had been thrown to the ground below. _

_Firing at each other? No...no, it was wrong. It was all wrong, and he needed to set it right, somehow. Rex tore his own bucket off of his head and opened his mouth to shout, but his voice wouldn't work. _

_The Umbaran tank slithered forward, its joints creaking like droids even as it churned the ground beneath its mechanized feet. The troopers stood before it, somehow heedless of its existence, and continued to hurl blaster fire at one another. Flares of plasma was blinding against the darkness and the air was filled with the acrid scents of mist, burned metal and death; so many had fallen, already, but more collapsed with each passing moment. _

_This...this was the price for victory?_

_All around him, the darkness echoed with cries of brothers, sounds that ripped through his armor easier than any streaking plasma. Rex knew he needed to do _something _but his legs wouldn't work. He couldn't move, couldn't shout, could hardly breathe for the choking mist and darkness. Helpless, he was helpless. Insubstantial._

_Then, there was light. Silver-white, slipping gently between his eyes and the darkness, and a soft voice that was unlike any he'd ever heard. "You're not programmed." _

"_How would you know?"_

"Rex."

It wasn't his voice, but it could have been. Fives, he realized after a moment. It was Fives. Rex was still surrounded by darkness, but it was the harmless kind that lingered behind closed eyes and there was something soft beneath his head.

"Captain?" There was a sigh, then Fives' voice was muted, as if he was turning. "Kix..."

"He's waking," the medic replied, the ease of his tone just enough to offer comfort without sounding complacent. "Just give him a second to come out of it."

A bed. Rex realized that he was laying on a bed, or a cot. Likely in the barracks on Ord Mantell, unless he'd been transported back to the _Resolute. _His head felt thick with the remnants of painkillers, but even so his right arm hurt like hell. An inhale brought Rex the scent of antiseptic, recycled air and brothers. His nose wrinkled. Brothers who hadn't showered in some time.

Fives laughed, but the sound was just a bit off. "He's frowning – that's a good sign, right? Means his personality's unharmed, at least."

"Is he going to be okay, sir?" Tup's voice sounded concerned, which made Rex smile to himself even as he struggled to speak.

At first his words came out garbled and blurred, as if he'd imbibed an entire tray of Toydarian Teases. "...'m fine, Tup. Just...gravity."

There was a sprinkle of relieved laughter at his words, which helped give Rex the strength to open his eyes; when he managed, he realized that he was on the _Resolute_, in the medbay, surrounded by his men. Every one of them still wore his armor, which was dirty and scuffed as if they hadn't yet had a chance to clean it, and he could read the relief and worry in their eyes even as they began exclaiming happily.

Tup, Silver, Chopper, Jesse, Fives, Coric...for a moment his vision was filled with their faces and his head echoed with their voices, then Coric clapped his hands.

"Alright, he's awake," the chief medic said, casting a knowing look around the room. "Now clear out and give him some space – or else."

"Or else what?" Jesse said, lifting his brow even as the others began to grumble good-naturedly and file out of the medbay. "You're a medic. You're here to _heal_."

In response, Kix stepped forward and brandished a hypospray, adding a mock-glare as he addressed the trooper. "One touch with this and you'll be out cold, Jes. Then I'll let Fives decide what tattoo should go on the _other_ side of your head."

Several minutes later – amidst a chorus of relieved laughter – Coric had ushered everyone but Kix and Fives out of the room, and Rex was struggling to sit up in the bed so that he could take stock of his condition. It didn't appear to be too bad. His right arm was wrapped in a plexi-cast and resting in a sling, while he had an assortment of bandages and bacta patches on various other parts of his body. Beneath the sheet that rested on the bio-bed he was wearing only his boxers; another glance indicated that his legs were intact, save for a few mild scrapes.

Rex looked up at Kix, who had pulled out a small scanner and was holding it over his heart, checking the readout on a datapad. "What happened?"

His brothers exchanged glances, then Kix looked back down at the 'pad. "You landed."

"On what?" Rex asked, resisting the urge to rub at his cast as the ache in his arm started to sharpen.

Fives crossed his arms and lifted his brow at the captain. "Nothing much. Just what was left of a nearby building. Your arm took most of the impact...lucky for you I watched your _shebs_ get tossed in the air in the first place."

"Fives actually knows how to set a bone," Kix explained to Rex's puzzled look. "Apparently they teach the ARCs something other than how to swagger around in those kamas."

Following this, he ducked to avoid a playful jab from Fives, which gave Rex a chuckle. After a moment, the medic nodded to the datapad and began to set away his kit. "You're lucky, Captain," he said. "It could have been much worse."

"That seems to be the running theme of late," Fives replied in a dark voice, hooking his thumbs in his belt.

Rex didn't reply right away; instead, he cast a glance around the medbay, noting that only a few of the other beds were filled with sleeping or unconscious clones. In his fashion, Kix seemed to know the captain's question before it was spoken. "We lost Cay and Argent. Imp, Shock and Thrash were banged up pretty bad. Silver and Chopper each got a new scar, but otherwise the 501st is still intact. The 317th lost about ten percent of its soldiers, but the general managed to destroy the tank before things got too much worse."

"You were out-cold by that point," Fives added as Kix rose to his feet.

At these words, the three men were silent, marking those who had fallen in their own way; grief clung to Rex's entire body, turning his bones to lead and causing the pace of his blood to grow sluggish and halting. Cay had been one of those men who didn't talk much, but when he did his words made you sit up and take notice. Argent was – had been – sharp, but kind, so much so that despite his often gruff nature, he was one of the few troopers whom no one argued with – ever.

Rex had been fighting this war for well over two years and he'd seen countless brothers die in innumerable ways. It never got any easier to bear.

Quite the opposite.

He took a slow, deep breath to bring back a sense of calm, because even though he was lying in the medbay, arm in a sling, the men who were left still looked to him for guidance and strength. Clearing his throat, he looked up at Fives. "What of the Jedi?"

"They're fine," the ARC replied with a nod. "Well...Skywalker wasn't pleased when he and the commander got called away almost the moment we returned to the _Resolute _– General Kenobi's doing, I think – but they were both concerned for you."

Kix held up his comlink. "Commander Tano asked me to send her a message the moment that your eyes opened; she also asked me to tell you that she's sorry she wasn't here when they did."

Fives chuckled at this, but Rex only nodded. After a few moments, Kix turned to make for the exit across the room. "You're to remain off active duty until that cast comes off, Captain," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If you need me, I'll be checking on the others with Coric. There's a few cuts and scrapes that'll need patching up. And don't say I should have done that before tending to you," he added to Rex's opening mouth. "None of them would have it."

With that, the medic slipped out of the room, leaving Rex and Fives alone. The ARC gave a sigh and leaned against the wall behind Rex's bio-bed, rubbing at his forehead with his left hand in an uncharacteristic show of weariness.

The _Resolute_'s hyperdrive droned in the background, a gentle hum that had become as familiar to the captain as his own heartbeat, and he glanced down at the plexi-cast on his arm again. Lucky. He'd been lucky to survive the fall, of that he was well-aware.

Near-death experiences were commonplace in his world, but this one felt different, somehow. Like every battle, most parts were a blur of action and training so deep it turned reactions into reflexes, but there were a few things he distinctly remembered: the wave of dust and dirt ripping through his brothers; the weightless feeling when he was airborne; Ahsoka as she leaped across the sun.

He remembered watching her path, and how his vision had been temporarily blinded by dazzling sunlight; he realized at once that it had always been so with her. When he looked at Ahsoka – when he _had _looked at her, before – he had been unable to see anything else, even when his eyes had turned to other things, because of her beauty, of her brightness.

But in his experience, nothing ever stayed the same.

Casting his mind further back, to the minutes before they'd landed the transports and the battle had begun in earnest, he remembered that he'd been about to comm Brenna and tell her that he didn't think it was wise for them to see one another again; it might've been the last thing he ever said to her, and the idea sent a feeling of regret through him. Was it possible to regret something that hadn't come to pass?

"Cred for your thoughts." Yes, Fives' voice was definitely weary. A glanced at the other clone's face revealed the shadows under his eyes; the darkness followed him, too.

As Rex considered his reply, he idly skimmed the fingertips of his left hand over the surface of the cast, noting how it was surprisingly smooth. "I might never have spoken to her again," he said after a moment, brows furrowing.

There was a frown in Fives' voice. "Commander Tano?"

"Brenna."

A pause, a very weighted one, then: "And?"

It was Rex's turn to frown. "And...I don't think I like the notion."

At this, Fives gave a snort of irritation. "What does it matter, Rex? I know that you already made up your mind not to see her any more."

The words were harsh, but it was not wholly out of annoyance with the captain; Rex could detect a deeper feeling in his brother's words, an anger that had been apparent since before Umbara. "You don't know that."

"I know what you were thinking back there, and I still think you're an idiot." With this, Fives pushed himself away from the wall and faced Rex, his eyes narrowed. Exhaustion creased his features, and Rex wondered if Fives' nightmares were similar to his own. "See, that's the main difference between us, Rex. I've chosen to follow my own path, live my own life, because it's all I have – all any of us have, in the end. Don't you think that we're owed a bit of happiness, after all we've been through?"

"This is a _war_, Fives," Rex replied, straightening his spine as best he could while prone. "We're soldiers...our happiness isn't a priority when we work for the greater good. Life and duty are one and the same for us."

At Rex's words, the ARC crossed his arms before his chest and gave a deep scowl. "Then you may as well throw yourself in front of the next blaster shot, Captain, because that's where that way of thinking is going to take you, in the end." Here, his voice softened, and his arms fell to his sides with a kind of heaviness that had become more common of late. "I think that we have to find a balance between duty and happiness. We're soldiers, but we're men, too."

"I know all that," Rex replied with another frown. "But-"

"But you don't believe it."

Rex said nothing, so Fives shook his head and turned for the exit. When he reached the door, he paused and cast a half-glance back towards the captain. "When it comes down to brass tacks, all we have is this one life. I, for one, am going to make the most of mine while I have it. I recommend you do the same."

* * *

_Battle scenes are _not_ my forte, so I'd love to hear how y'all liked/didn't like the one on Ord Mantell. According to Wookieepedia, the seismic tank was one of those impractical things that didn't pop up too much, but I thought it was pretty cool and wanted to try my hand at writing it. Also, I love that episode of the original CW cartoon. (Mace Windu is a badass. There's no other word for it.)_

_Thank you for reading. :) Those of you who've left a review, thanks as well. It's wonderful to know how a story is being received, and I'm grateful for each and every one of your comments. _

_Next time: a visit to Brenna. :)_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

All that Brenna had been able to learn was that he'd been wounded, but he was alive. Rex was one of the lucky ones, it seemed, as she'd gotten a glimpse of the Ord Mantell casualties from the GAR database and learned that – while the losses were not as devastating as those at other battles like Teth – Torrent Company had returned with less men than it had set out with.

She debated comm'ing him, just to check in then decided against it, because whatever was between them still seemed too new to do such a thing. Anyway, she was still uncertain that he even _wanted _to see her again, so she tried to set the captain out of her mind and continue on with her routine for the next day or so.

Almost two and a half days since their dinner in the observation room, Brenna was seated in her office, running the weekly diagnostic across her equipment; it was a tedious task that required her presence in the off-chance that the system would overload or become caught in a processing loop, in which case it would need to be rebooted manually.

Most of the time, running such a diagnostic meant that she would spend most of the day sitting at her desk, drumming her nails along the hard surface in time to the music she was playing, and trying not to be too bored.

Today, the soft _ding_ at her door alerted her to someone's presence; thinking it was her supervisor or perhaps a coworker come to chat, she slid out of her chair and stepped over to activate the door. When the panel slid open her lips parted in surprise, because Rex was on the other side, looking at her with a mixture of anxiety and hope.

Save for a plexi-cast over his right arm – which was also in a sling – he looked the same as he had the last time she'd seen him: navy, off-duty fatigues and his ubiquitous belt strapped around his waist. For one moment she blinked up at him in shock, then she found her voice. "Your arm..."

"It's still attached," he said with a half-smile. "Along with the rest of me. May I...?"

She nodded and stepped aside to allow him entry, closing the door behind him before moving forward to adjust the volume of the music; when she looked back his way, he was watching her carefully as he spoke again. "I wanted to see you."

She had to smile at the statement, and the subsequent wince he made once he realized the redundancy of what he'd said when compared with the person he'd said it to.

"Mission accomplished, then," she replied in a light voice, though he frowned a moment later and looked around.

After he glanced at her workstation, where each screen presented a readout of the various diagnostics taking place, he looked back at her. "I don't know what any of that is, but I'll bet it means you're busy. I can come back-"

"No," she said; she considered putting a hand on his uninjured arm, then decided against it. "I mean...you don't have to, unless you think you'll be bored. I can't leave while the diagnostic is running, but I'd like the company. If you'd like to stay, that is."

"I would."

For one moment they looked at each other and she felt the beat of her heart pick up with the intensity of his gaze; finally, she blinked, breaking the spell, and moved to the extra chair against the wall to remove the stacks of flimsies, datapads, and other miscellany that had accumulated in the seat. Rex was at her side a moment later, taking what he could and setting it at the edge of her desk or along the shelves at the wall at her direction.

Soon the chair was pulled up beside hers and he'd taken a seat, resting his arm in his lap and running his eyes along the screens again, his thoughtful expression indicating he was trying to understand what he was looking at.

"What is all that?" he asked at last, glancing at her.

"Weekly diagnostic," she replied. "I also do a manual checkup of the system: cleaning out old files, freeing up inactive memory, revising any outdated query codes..." She smiled as his brow furrowed. "Pretty exciting, I know."

He smiled back. "Sounds it."

There was a pause while she thought of the report she'd read. "I'm sorry about the men you lost, Rex." At the inquiring tilt of his head, she explained. "I pulled up the stats from the battle on the GAR database. I wanted to know if you were..."

"You wanted to know if I was killed." It was a matter-of-fact statement, the words spoken without emotion after she'd trailed off. She nodded and he leaned back into the chair, considering. "It could have been a lot worse," he said after a moment. "Yes, we lost men – good men – but we held the Seps back. The citizens of Ord Mantell are safe, for now."

Brenna shifted her gaze to his arm and he grimaced as he spoke again. "Did you also read about the seismic tank?"

Her eyes must have gotten wide, because he elaborated. "It was the first time I'd ever seen one in person; the wind from the driver knocked me back about two-hundred meters, and gave me this."

"Is it broken?" She reached forward and met his eyes, silently asking permission to touch him; he nodded and she placed her fingertips along the gray plexi-cast that was almost perfectly molded to the shape of his forearm. It was smooth and cool, similar to the armor that the clones wore, but it lacked the comforting firmness of plastoid.

"No," he replied as he watched her. "Just sprained. My armor took most of the damage." He paused, then tilted his head again and gave her a meaningful look, which was when she realized that they were only a few handspans apart. "Kix says I'm to be off active duty until it's healed...might be as much as a week."

Hand still on his cast, she felt her heart start to beat a little faster; she thought that she understood the meaning behind his words, but wanted to make sure. "Sounds like you'll have some free time, then."

"A bit," he said with a nod. "I had hoped that I'd get a chance to make up the other night to you, since I had to leave in such a hurry."

"It's okay," she replied, but her voice sounded soft and unfamiliar in her ears, and she swallowed. "Duty called."

There was a pause while he seemed to consider something, then he placed his free hand over hers, lightly. His skin was warm. "Brenna, I hardly said goodbye to you. I regretted it." He exhaled, then gave her fingers a gentle squeeze when he spoke again. "I don't want to regret, anymore."

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out; his honey-brown gaze had captured hers and she was rendered immobile, save for the sudden and furious cadence of her heart. Finally she managed to choke out an inelegant "okay," which made him chuckle and lift his hand from hers. When he wasn't touching her it was easier to breathe, and she leaned back in her chair, hoping that her face didn't look as red as it felt.

She thought it did, for he lifted a brow at her and gave her the half-smile again. "Are you alright?"

_Get a hold of yourself, Brenna._ "Getting there," she replied, smoothing back her hair. "Just...it's a bit warm in here, isn't it?"

The half-smile broadened to full, and she decided that she should go ahead and resign herself to being lost to the expression, uncommon as it seemed to be. Neither one spoke for a few minutes after that, during which she busied herself by checking over the consoles at her desk, which gave her body temperature and heart-rate sufficient time to return to normal.

When she looked back at him, he was examining one of the pictures of Iri from the little girl's first life-day party. "She really does look like you," he said, holding up the still-pic and glancing between it and Brenna. "She has your nose. And your chin."

"And my ears," Brenna replied. "Well, only the left one." With that, she leaned forward around him to select another pic from her desk. This one was more recent, a close-up profile of the little girl; Rex was right, because Irini primarily took after Brenna and not her father, though she wondered if it would remain so as her daughter aged. Brenna held the pic up to her face with one hand and smoothed back her hair from each ear with the other, turning her head side-to-side. "See?"

Rex looked from her face to the pic, and nodded, though his brows were furrowed. "Just the one? Is that...normal?" He seemed to hesitate, then shook his head. "Sorry...I don't know if that's an okay question..."

"No, it's fine," she replied, setting the pic in her lap but not releasing it. "And yes, it's common for a child to have bits and pieces of each parent. Besides, ears aren't usually symmetrical on anybody."

"She's two?"

"Just about. She's twenty-one months." Brenna toyed with the edges of the frame for a moment, then smiled to herself. "Iri's completely brilliant; she's incredible with finger-painting, which I know doesn't sound very impressive, but considering her age, the fact that she can actually make images that you can _recognize_ is really amazing. And she's such a fast learner, too. In fact, my brother says that-"

Her jaw snapped shut abruptly, as she'd realized that she'd started babbling; Rex cast her an inquiring look and she felt her face grow warm again at the concern in his tone. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied even as she shook her head. "I just...I'm sure it's boring for you to have to listen to me chatter on about my kid."

Rex knitted his brows in confusion. "I like hearing about your daughter...she sounds wonderful." She thought that _she _must have looked confused, now, for he shrugged and gave her another half-smile. "When you talk about her, your face...lights up."

Even as he said the words she watched his ears get red, but she was too pleased to do much more than offer him another smile, one that he returned immediately.

As they looked at one another, there was a moment of awkwardness before she cleared her throat and continued telling him about Iri's fondness for painting pictures; Brenna couldn't help but be startled by the fact that – not only did he appear interested in her descriptions of Iri – he asked questions that encouraged her to elaborate even more, such that before she knew what had happened, an entire hour had passed in what felt like the blink of an eye.

"A tree?" he asked, brows lifted in amusement. "She wants to be a tree when she grows up?"

Brenna was leaning back in her chair, hands folded across her stomach as she grinned. "Oh yes. She loves them," she added with a chuckle. "That's probably obvious by now."

At her words, Rex gave a genuine laugh, the likes of which she'd not heard from him until this moment, and she watched as his entire face relaxed with the sound, transforming it. In fact, his posture was far more relaxed than it had been when he'd first sat down; like her, he was leaning back, his legs stretched out before him, booted feet beneath her desk. His right arm still rested against his chest in the sling, but his left hand was hanging loosely over the armrest of the chair.

"Well," he said after a moment, shooting Brenna another smile. "I wish her luck, but something tells me that she'll need to pick another career when she gets older."

Brenna smiled back. "I'm planning on reminding her of the fact when she's trying to choose what to focus on at university." Some of her hair had fallen forward with her laughter, so she pushed it back behind her ears as she continued, her voice softening. "Though really, it doesn't matter to me what job she has when she grows up. I want her to have every opportunity, of course, but more than anything, I just want her to be happy. And safe," she added with another glance at him. "Always safe."

She knew there was a wistful tone to her voice, but it didn't matter so much when she was talking about her daughter. Rex seemed to understand, and gave a solemn nod as his face smoothed into another thoughtful expression while he studied her. "What if she wanted to be a bounty hunter, or a mercenary?"

"Then I'd want her to be the best one possible," Brenna replied at once. "And I'd want to make sure that she had everything that she'd need to be successful; I know I can't really keep her 'safe' forever," she added with a grimace. "But a mother can dream, I guess. The most important thing is that she grows up knowing how to think for herself and make her own choices, and that she has the tools to make the right ones."

Something in her words seemed to strike him, for his eyes dropped down to his arm again. When he looked back up at her, she could see that he was hesitating about something. "I don't have children – obviously," he said slowly. "But if I did, I'd like to think that I'd feel the same way as you do: wanting to provide for them enough so that they have the means to find happiness on their own."

"It's hard," she replied, glancing over the screen again to make sure that the diagnostic was still progressing well. The streams of data blurred as she felt her eyes grow warm. "In many ways I feel like I've already failed her because she deserves so much more than I can give."

That was when she felt Rex's hand reach out to cover hers, causing her to give a sharp inhale and meet his eyes. "Brenna, I have no doubt that you're doing the best you can," he said in a serious voice. "That's all anyone can do."

"I'm trying to," she replied, looking at their joined hands. "But...I feel like I should be with her, not out here. My brain knows that being here, on the _Resolute_, is the most logical choice," she added. "But my heart..."

In his fashion, he seemed to understand even though her thought trailed off to nothing; he only gave her hand a squeeze and offered her another, gentler smile that she returned. "I wouldn't worry, Brenna. I have no doubt that Irini will be the best tree in the entire galaxy," he said at last, which made her laugh.

They sat for another few minutes, hands joined, until he glanced at the chrono along her wall and sighed. "I should get back," he said with a slight frown. "We're getting some new recruits in this evening and I'll need to see that they're taken care of."

"'Taken care of?' I know how you guys are...does that involve some kind of hazing?"

At her words he glanced at her in surprise, then smiled again. "Not from me it doesn't, but I imagine some of the others – most likely Fives and Jesse – have made some plans to that effect."

Brenna nodded sagely. "Sometimes those ARCs are more trouble than not, aren't they?"

"Especially this particular one," he said with a chuckle.

With that, he rose from his seat and made to head for the door to her office; she did the same and they stood before one another for a few awkward moments until Rex took a deep breath, then looked directly into her eyes. "Brenna..."

"You can call me 'Bren,' if you like," she said suddenly, as her heart always started to beat faster when he spoke her full name; perhaps it wouldn't be so if he only said her nickname.

"Bren."

_No, _she thought as her heart stuttered and she held his gaze. _It's worse. Much worse._

He took another breath and spoke with deliberation as he studied her. "Would it be alright if I kissed you?"

Again, she was rendered speechless for a few seconds, though she was able to find her voice before too long. "You already did – well, sort of. You tried."

Rex shook his head; he swallowed and reached for her hand once more, engulfing it with his own. "I want to do it properly this time. That includes _not_ making an ass of myself."

As much as she wanted to laugh and reply with a witty comment, she was incapable when he looked at her so because her heart was thrumming and she couldn't move, could hardly speak. All she could do was nod. She watched him inhale right before he leaned forward so that they were only a breath apart, which was where he hesitated; that made her wonder if he'd not done this before, so she tilted her face up to close the very last of the space between them and brushed her lips against his with a feather-touch.

_Slow_, she thought as his left hand moved to rest at her waist. _We should go slow._

Even as the words passed through her head she leaned forward, pressing herself to the solid planes of his chest and brushing their lips again; in the next moment he pulled her a little closer and the kiss deepened, just a bit, as he caught on to the movements.

When they parted, she was certain her entire face was red and that the color was mirrored in his, but she didn't care. Nor did she care about the continuing frenetic pace of her heart or the flames that had appeared in her fingertips, because they were still close, only a breath away, and his eyes were on hers while he spoke. "When can I see you again?"

"Is tonight too soon?"

At her words, he smiled and she felt his hand at her waist give a soft squeeze. "That works."

She couldn't help but shiver at the increased pressure of his hand, and she swallowed. "I should be done with all this at around eighteen-hundred hours. When do you think you'll be free?"

There was a pause while he considered; happily, his hand remained in place. "Probably a bit earlier. Would it be alright if I comm'd you so we could work out the details?" At her nod, he studied her again before tilting his head to place one last kiss against her cheek before he turned to make for the door. "Then I'll see you tonight, Bren."

* * *

_First kiss! :D (_Finally_...) _

_Many thanks to _**sachariah**_ and _**Jade-Max**_ for more "techspeak." I'd be lost without you guys! ;)  
_

_Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought of the kiss! (Took them long enough, right? :P)_

_Next up: meeting the Spaarti clones for the first time.  
_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Even as he strode through the _Resolute_'s gleaming corridors, part of Rex's mind remained with Brenna.

Despite his inexperience in the physical aspects of relationships between males and females, he was pleased with how quickly he'd figured out kissing; she'd seemed to approve, at any rate. But beyond the kissing – nice as it was – he'd enjoyed spending time in her company for a number of other reasons. Despite the things that she'd experienced, things that might have turned another person sour, Brenna had a kind of brightness to her that attracted him, inexorably.

When she spoke of her daughter, she beamed...there was no other word for it. Happiness radiated off of her, even though he knew that being apart from Iri was difficult, and he wondered if maybe her love for the child gave her a kind of strength that he hadn't considered before, one that helped her weather such hardship. And while he had no first-hand experience in this particular matter, Rex had observed – through another clone, no less – how being a parent could provide a person with a sense of purpose and duty.

Thinking of Brenna and her daughter in the same context as he thought of Cut Lawquane and his family caused a strange ripple of _longing_ to move through the captain, one that he instantly and automatically shoved aside, instead focusing his thoughts solely on the brown-haired young woman.

When he smiled at her, he'd again noticed the flush that had crept to her cheeks. At first it was strange to think that _he'd_ caused such a reaction in another with a simple expression; even when he could see that she was trying to remain calm, he'd noted a gleam of pleasure in her eyes whenever he smiled her way, which he found gave him no end of satisfaction.

Later, as they'd said goodbye, he'd put his hand on her waist because...well, because he could. There was no gap of rank between them that would prevent him from touching her, and he'd been able to tell that she _liked_ that he had done so.

Of course, that thought brought back the memory of how she'd leaned forward and pressed herself against his torso, which was enough to get him more than a little hot-under-the-collar. Rex decided that he was looking forward to seeing her again tonight.

Very much.

It was because of all this that his steps were a bit lighter than they had been in some time, even though eventually he was able to shake thoughts of the brown-haired woman away; he had a rather unpleasant task ahead of him, one that would need all of his attention.

During the last few days, Rex had memorized every bit of the intel on the Spaarti clones that General Skywalker had provided, but a more comprehensive understanding of the newcomers had done nothing to ease his mind. Just the opposite, in fact. Due to the battle on Ord Mantell and – admittedly – his own distraction with Brenna, he hadn't had a chance to share his findings with any of the others; yesterday, he'd decided to rectify that, and had approached Sergeant Coric with something of a plan.

After a brief detour to the barracks to lose the sling and replace his armor – well, what armor he could fit over the cast – he made his way to the hangar. By his request, every able-bodied trooper of Torrent Company was present, helmets clipped to their belts; as Rex approached, he noted with pride that his men snapped to attention the instant that he was spotted.

"Captain on deck!" Coric's voice was clear, resonating off of the surrounding bays. In response, each man saluted in unison and Rex made his way down the line, nodding to each one and trying not to think how there were less and less every time he saw them all together in recent weeks.

Fives stood slightly apart from the others, separate but still one of them regardless of his ARC status. Although they'd returned to the _Resolute _in the last day or so, neither of the Jedi were present yet, so Rex took a moment and stood at the front-and-center of his men, meeting every soldier's eyes as he spoke.

"I know that I don't have to tell anyone how rough it is out there," he began, glancing at Tup and noting how the younger clone lifted his chin in response. "Every single one of you has proven his mettle a dozen times over, and I'm proud – not only to have you for this Company – but to call you 'brother,' as well. Because we _are_ brothers, in arms, and in life. We stand beside one another through any and every challenge, because we are stronger together than apart."

For a moment he paused to let the words sink in and buoy them up, because he knew they'd need the encouragement when they heard what he was going to tell them. "But," he added at last. "You also know that we are not impervious to harm. The Wars have taken their toll – on us and on the galaxy – and the Senate has had to take...extreme measures to bolster our ranks so that we can continue to do our duty and defend the Republic.

"You may find the new recruits to be a bit different, at first. They are Fett clones, as we are, but the methods used in their creation were different than those that the Kaminoans used for ours; although I have not met any first-hand, by all accounts they may seem particularly 'shiny' to the more seasoned veterans among us." These words caused a number of the troopers to shift in place, shooting each other anxious glances and indicating that they were not entirely comfortable with what they were hearing. It was to be expected.

Rex allowed his men a moment of doubt and waited for them to settle before he continued. "But I want to remind you – again – that we are _all_ brothers, and that we _must_ stand united if we are to survive this conflict. Whatever opposition we face, we will overcome as long as we remain loyal to the Republic, and loyal to one another. _Vode an._"

Although Mando'a had only been taught to the original ARC troopers and commandos, over the course of the Wars the language had trickled down through the ranks, until most clones were at least passing familiar with the more popular phrases.

_Vode an_, brothers all.

As he'd hoped, the familiar words had the desired effect; each man seemed to take heart from the comforting phrase, lifting his head and squaring his shoulders, and some of the tension eased away from Rex at the sight.

Several moments later, he heard the hangar door hiss open and watched as Ahsoka made her way into the main body of the room, her passage making no sound against the smooth floor. Skywalker wasn't with her, which Rex made a mental note to ask her about when he had a chance. As she came to stand by his side at the front of the men, she gave him a nod, then beamed at the troopers as they saluted her – again in unison.

A buzzing alarm indicated that a ship was approaching the hangar and preparing to touch down; moments later, the familiar shapes of a group of five LAAT/i transports dropped into view as they passed through the energy shield, settling onto the hangar floor several meters from where Rex and Ahsoka stood side-by-side. The doors of the transports slid to the side in tandem, revealing groups of familiar white-armored figures standing at attention. On an unseen signal – likely an internal comm channel – the group from each transport stepped off of their vessel and formed up a perfect series of columns before Ahsoka and Rex, the echoes of their booted footsteps reverberating off of the bulkhead.

Among the sea of white, there was one figure – armor slashed with the familiar blue of the 501st – who stepped forward to address the officers; Rex noted that Appo's movements seemed more confident than before, and he wondered if the sergeant had received additional training on Cartao when he'd gone to bring back the new guys.

"Lieutenant CC-1119 reporting with the new recruits, as requested," Appo said in a clear voice as he saluted Ahsoka. "Your orders, sir?"

_Lieutenant? _Rex was thankful that he was able to control his reaction to the statement, as it was news to him. Appo had been a sergeant when he'd left...at what point had he been promoted? Beside him, Ahsoka seemed to share his surprise, but she recovered with grace.

"Lieutenant, huh?" she said with a smile up at the trooper, who leveled the blank gaze of his bucket upon her. "Congratulations, Appo. When did you get the promotion?"

Appo squared his shoulders before he replied. "General Skywalker authorized the promotion when I was dispatched to Cartao to oversee the new units." There was a pause, as if he was uncertain, then the former sergeant spoke again, his voice holding a trace of chagrin. "My apologies...I was unaware that you had not yet been informed, Commander."

In her fashion, Ahsoka seemed unconcerned. She reached forward to shake the newly-minted lieutenant's hand, offering him another smile. "Don't worry about it, Appo. Care to introduce us to the new guys?"

Her mannerisms were casual without being informal, of which Rex was glad. There would be time for protocol, but he admired her for understanding the mindsets of the clones enough to realize that the new guys would likely be nervous and out-of-sorts; Ahsoka knew just how to set the soldiers at ease. Kindness, compassion...these were her hallmarks. These were the qualities that he admired her for, but – he realized as he watched her step forward through the ranks of the new recruits – she did not have the monopoly on them.

Perhaps Ahsoka had shown him their true worth, but Rex knew that there were other people with those qualities, too.

Once she'd at least acknowledged each new trooper, she returned to Rex's side, and the new company moved to face the men of Torrent; again, the reality of the dwindling numbers of his men was made apparent, the contrast even sharper next to the crisp, clean armor of the new recruits. Appo stood before them as well, his posture mirroring Rex's.

There was a slight pause, then Rex cleared his throat and nodded to Appo. "I'll give your men the night to get settled in; we can start the company-wide drills tomorrow morning, first thing. Will that work for you, Lieutenant?"

Despite his own surprise at the other man's new position, Rex didn't think it was his place to question Skywalker's order. To his knowledge, Appo was a good and capable soldier; there was no reason he shouldn't have been promoted, and Rex wanted to head off any rumors that might begin due to the unorthodox and sudden nature of the Appo's elevated status. There would be no ill-will – real or imagined – between himself and any other clone, not if he could help it.

"It will, sir. Thank you, Captain," Appo replied with a nod, though the slight tilt of his visor made Rex realize that the other clone was glancing at his wounded arm. While the body-glove had been able to stretch over the cast, Rex had been unable to wear his vambrace, so he'd merely replaced his gloves and gauntlet and forgone the sling for now.

Well, there was no dishonor in an injury, especially one received while a soldier was in the line of duty, so Rex straightened and fixed his eyes on Appo's visor, willing his gaze to be calm but commanding. "It's good to have you back, Lieutenant. And congratulations on the promotion – you've earned it."

Appo's visor tilted down again, but the minute gesture was also accompanied by a faint drop of the other clone's shoulders, as if in acknowledgment. "Thank you, sir."

There was deference in his voice, but the encounter still felt a little off. However, Rex cleared his throat and addressed the men at large, ensuring that his words would carry across the room. "As I was saying just before your arrival, we're all in this fight together. No matter our origins or our differences, we are _vode an_, and we work for the common good – the greater good – of the safety of the Republic."

Something in his words made the new soldiers glance at one another in the manner of those who had matters they were reluctant to voice. With a nod, Rex indicated the trooper closest to him. "Any questions...?"

The soldier straightened. "CT-95-3744, sir."

"What's your name, trooper?" Ahsoka asked, tilting her head at the helmeted clone.

"Sir, my designation is CT-95-3744, sir," was the swift reply.

At this, Ahsoka smiled at him. "We'll work on that, then. Did you have a question about something Rex said, Four-four?"

There was a pause, then the trooper spoke. "Sir, I am unclear on the meaning of the words 'vode an.' With respect, I request clarification, sir."

Behind him, Rex could hear the slightest shifting of plastoid that indicated his men were shooting surreptitious looks at one another. Ahsoka glanced his way with a furrowed brow, so Rex cleared his throat. "My apologies; most of my boys knew a bit of Mando'a when they first arrived. _Vode an_, brothers all. It's a common phrase among the ranks. We are brothers-in-arms, after all."

"These soldiers are not familiar with Mando'a, Captain," Appo said, a hint of weariness in his otherwise measured voice. "They were not trained in the same manner as you and I, sir."

"Well, perhaps they can learn," Rex replied, refusing to acknowledge the thread of foreboding he felt from the lieutenant's words. In his mind, it didn't – couldn't – matter that the Spaartis had been trained differently; they were here _now_, and they would all have to learn to work together if Torrent Company was going to be successful.

Appo nodded again in response, but said nothing further. Moments later, there was another unseen signal among the new guys: their gloved hands moved in a unified salute before they turned and marched out of the hangar bay, steps perfectly aligned and echoing.

Once they'd left, Rex glanced at his own men, whom he could see watching the retreating forms of the new clones with varying degrees of interest and uncertainty. "Until tomorrow morning, consider yourselves off-duty," he said, causing their attention to snap back his way. "See you at zero-eight-hundred."

With that, they began to file out of the hangar; while the formation was clean and orderly, Rex noted that they didn't move with the same rigid precision as the new recruits, but he didn't dwell on the matter, because Ahsoka was looking at him in a manner that indicated she wished to speak.

Once the last of Torrent Company had disappeared, he looked down at her. "What is it?"

At this, Ahsoka frowned and her eyes shifted to the door where the new recruits had gone. "It's strange. They felt...different, in the Force. Different from you, Fives and the others," she added to his querying look.

"Different, how?"

Ahsoka gave a deep sigh, suddenly appearing much older than her seventeen years as she shook her head. "It's hard to explain. I was expecting them to feel like all shinies do – fresh, nervous, excited – but they only felt...dim. Sort of...muted."

"Perhaps it's because they were cloned in a different manner," he said, even though he was at a loss whenever it came to the Force. "Maybe they'll 'feel' better once they settle in."

"I hope so," she replied, but he could see that neither one of them really believed the words, despite their efforts. She paused, then eyed his cast. "You're okay, right? Not too broken? Skyguy and I were worried we'd have to train _another_ captain..."

The teasing in her voice made him chuckle. "I'm in one piece."

"Shouldn't that arm be in a sling?"

She must have been talking with Kix. Rex shrugged, then deftly changed the subject. "Is the general well? He usually makes an appearance at things like this."

Her dark lips pursed in consideration before she answered. "He's fine...I think." At Rex's raised brow, she frowned. "Chancellor Palpatine called him away this morning; I'm not sure why...anyway, before he left, he seemed kind of...anxious. It was a little strange, actually. I mentioned it, and he said he's just tired, but sometimes I think he needs to take a break."

"When was the last time he had leave?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "Not since I've been around." Suddenly, her gaze dropped and her arms crossed before her, as if bracing herself. "Maybe he really is tired...he didn't tell me about Appo's promotion, either."

"All I knew was that Appo had gone to Cartao to collect the Spaarti soldiers and bring them back here," Rex said thoughtfully. "I had no idea that he was to be promoted, but he's a good soldier. It was well-deserved."

After another moment he gave her a pointed look. "I don't know much about Jedi affairs, Ahsoka, but if you need to talk to someone...impartial about Anakin, you know where to find me."

"I know," she replied, looking at him with friendly affection. "I know I can always rely on you, Rexter."

When she smiled at him, it was not the same smile that she'd given Appo, or even any of his men; in the past, it was what he'd thought of as _his _smile, but while the notion had once set his heart on a faster pace, now it was simply pleasant. She was his friend; he was hers.

It was – he realized – enough.

* * *

_According to Wookieepedia, Mando'a was widely known amongst the clone troopers, so I decided that - for the purposes of this story - most of them know at least a little bit. It's kind of like their heritage in a way. _

_Appo went through a lot of changes in this fic; he ended up completely different than how I planned him, but I think it's for the best. :)  
_

_Wow! 100 reviews already! You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know what you think; it means a lot. :) Next time...another date! :D  
_

_Also, a bit of news on ye olde profile. Take a peek, if you can. :)_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Once he left the hangar, Rex made his way to the barracks, where he figured the two groups were beginning to mingle; upon his arrival, he noted the presence of a trooper at each bed, which was a heartening sight to say the least. The new guys were dismantling and cleaning weapons and armor – standard procedure – and when he entered the main body of the room, the lot of them jumped to their feet and saluted him, shouting "sir, Captain _sir_," in unison.

It was unexpected, and he wondered if he noted it as such because his own command had gotten as unorthodox as Skywalker's, or if it had something to do with Ahsoka's observations with the Force. Nevertheless, he set the new guys at ease before making his way to the rec room, where Fives, Jesse, and Kix were seated around a dejarik board, the holographic figures activated but unmoving . At his approach, Fives tilted his chin in a manner that indicated he wanted Rex to join them.

Moments after the captain had slid down beside the ARC, Fives leaned forward. "What's up with the new guys?"

At his words, Rex glanced through the doorway towards the room that housed the bunks, from which he'd just entered; the new recruits had returned to polishing armor and cleaning weapons. Aside from the sounds of rags scrubbing over plastoid and the creak of shifting bunks, it was silent. _Strange_. Rex shrugged. "They're new, Fives. Shiny. You remember those days, don't you?"

"It's more than that, Rex," the ARC replied with narrowed eyes. "They're...I dunno. Weird. Can't quite put my finger on it."

"I know what you mean," Kix added in a quiet voice as he fingered the controls on the side of the board. "They feel...different. Not like most rookies, but similar."

Rex exhaled and shook his head, trying not to think that Ahsoka had said as much, or think of his own misgivings, because his men – even Fives – looked to him for guidance. "That may be so, but they're brothers and they're here to help us. If they're shiny, then it's our job to show them the ropes and guide them along. Our success out there depends on how well we function as a unit."

Jesse frowned. "Yeah, but they didn't even know 'vode an.' I thought every clone knew that, now, you know? It's weird..."

At this, Rex shook his head and straightened his shoulders. Jesse's words also hit uncomfortably close to the observation that Ahsoka had made, but he couldn't allow his own doubts to come forth this early in the game. "Perhaps, but it doesn't matter. We still have a duty to them, and to each other. Let's hold off judgment until _after _we seem them in combat."

There was quiet after his words, then the medic looked at him. "How's the arm?"

"Cumbersome," Rex replied, allowing himself a glare down at the offending body part; he'd abandoned the sling during the meeting with Appo and the new guys, and it was starting to ache already. "Couldn't fit my vambrace over the cast-"

"Which doesn't matter, because you're _not_ to be on active duty until the cast is _off_," Kix replied in a firm voice. "Remember? No battles, no fighting, and you _need_ to wear the sling, or it'll only take longer to heal."

At the medic's words, Jesse sat up and exchanged a not-so-subtle look with Fives. "That's right...you have better things to do than hang around with _us_."

"Jesse-"

"For kriff's sake," Fives interjected with a lift of his hand, as if he were waving aside the protests that Rex was about to make. "Take a hint and go see your girl."

Rex shot a glare at the ARC, because none of the others should have known about his burgeoning _thing _with Brenna, whatever it was supposed to be called. In response, Fives grinned at him and Kix coughed into his gloved hand, eyes deliberately looking anywhere but Rex's face. Jesse smirked. It was obvious that they were all well-aware of the finer points of his personal life, and Rex reflected that while these men were technically his subordinates, after serving with them for so long, he considered them brothers _and_ friends.

Friends who apparently refused to mind their own business.

The thought caused Rex to rub at his forehead, though a moment later he smiled as something else occurred to him. "Fine," he said in a light voice that he knew would set the lot of them on their guard. "But I'm calling in that favor, Fives."

* * *

Whether by luck or fate, Brenna was pleased to discover that the diagnostic finished quicker than she'd expected. Once she made her way back to her cabin, she had to take extreme care to keep her movements quiet, as Marliss had returned from her own shift and was fast asleep in her bunk. The room was dark, so it took a bit of careful maneuvering to not disturb her roommate while she showered as quietly as she could; she was still in the process of selecting something to wear by the time that she received a message on her comlink from Rex: _I'm free, if you are._

With a smile, she entered her reply: _Free as a thranta, and hungry. You?_

_I could eat. Observation room, or will you risk the mess this time?_

Her nose wrinkled involuntarily, but they had made a pretty substantial dent in her supplies, which she hadn't had a chance to replace. The mess it would be, then, once she got dressed. _I'm not quite ready. Meet me at my room?_

After she gave him her location, there was a longish pause; while she waited for the reply, it struck her that he might read more into her request then she'd intended, so she made to add a clarification. However, before she could do so, he replied: _Ten minutes enough time? _

Her eyes flickered around the dim room, landing on her closet; thankfully, the dress and shoes she'd been thinking of wearing were clean and within reach. Her and Rex's last encounter had been casual and it hadn't ended well, so this time she thought she'd take a gamble and wear something a bit more flattering, hoping that he'd like it. Her hair she always let air-dry on its own time, and she didn't normally bother with cosmetics, so she sent back: _Make it five. _

Another pause, then: _Copy that, Bren. _

Shortly after she slipped on her dress – pale-blue, in a simple wrap-style that skimmed her knees – she was in the process of combing out the final knots from her damp hair when she heard the soft chime at her door which alerted her to the captain's presence. When she activated the door, she saw that he was dressed in his armor, albeit without the piece that normally covered his right forearm, which was resting in the sling he'd worn earlier. His helmet was clipped to his belt; again she noted the striking combination of cerulean and white, especially coupled with his light hair.

For an instant they only looked at each other, until she saw his eyes shift towards the darkened cabin. Brenna shook her head and slipped out beside him, ensuring that the door locked behind her. "Marliss is sleeping," she explained as she began to walk down the corridor, Rex keeping pace at her side. "We work such odd hours – sometimes we go a few days without seeing each other."

He nodded, then shot her a glance; she watched his gaze travel over her form before resting on her eyes. "You look lovely."

Of course she flushed, and as she murmured a clumsy 'thank you,' she noticed that he had a nondescript canvas bag slung over his left shoulder. To hopefully stop the silly blushing, she cleared her throat and indicated the bag. "What's that?"

As they turned a corner, he lifted his brow at her and gave her the half-smile she was starting to like a great deal. "I thought this time_ I_ would provide dinner _and_ spare you from the mess-hall."

Brenna smiled at him. "That's terribly kind of you, Rex."

"I aim to please." Following this, he indicated a nearby turbolift. Once they were inside, he pressed the panel along the wall that indicated their destination, and the lift began to move. "I hope you don't mind revisiting the observation deck," he said after a moment. "There aren't many other places on the _Resolute_ for...er..."

"A date?"

At her words, his neck reddened and she bit back a chuckle. Despite the fact that he was keen and capable, there was still just a bit of boyishness to the captain that made her smile; it was common among clones, more so in some than in others, but with Rex it served to balance the soldier he'd been trained to be with the young man that he was.

Indeed, he seemed a bit uncertain, then shot her a careful look even as the lift hummed beneath their feet. "Is it a date, then? Is that what we're doing?"

"I guess you could say that," she replied, keeping her voice casual because otherwise she would start giggling at his perplexed tone. "We enjoy spending time together, which to me is all that matters. But, we don't have to put a name to it, if you don't want to."

"But if we wanted to 'name' this," he said, indicating the space between them. "It would be...a date."

She couldn't help the smile this time. "Yes, Rex."

"Right." He gave a swift nod that was entirely business and made her want to chuckle again. After another moment or so he glanced her way once more. "As I was saying, I wanted to take you somewhere...else, somewhere other than the place we've already been, but I'm afraid there aren't many options. Unless, of course," he added in a dry voice. "You wanted to come to the barracks."

"I wouldn't mind," she replied with a shrug. "Most of us 'civvies' wouldn't, I think. We just don't get into the habit of dropping by the barracks, or any of the places where you and your brothers spend your time. Actually, when I started, my supervisor told me that it would be better if I kept to the civilian areas, so not to throw the soldiers off of their routine."

Rex's brows knitted, but he didn't say anything for a moment, and they watched the lights on the lift panel indicate their movement. Finally he glanced at her with an unreadable expression. "That, or they don't want you interacting with us clones."

The tone of his voice suggested that he was trying to remain neutral, but she caught his meaning well enough. "We're not...encouraged to do so," she said after a beat. "But we're not expressly prohibited, either."

"You're free to do as you wish."

"Within reason," she added. "For example, I don't think I'd be able to keep my job if I went running naked through the halls..."

She'd only spoken in jest, but the instant she said the word "naked," she felt her face grow warm and she had to look away from him so that the feeling wouldn't intensify. As it was, Rex gave a cough into his gloved hand and for a few moments they stood in awkward silence; finally he shot her a half-smile that made her face heat up all over again. "Encouraged or not...I'm glad that you're exercising your right to choose."

Brenna nodded but said nothing else until the lift doors open and they made their way through the winding corridors, towards the observation deck. When they reached their destination, she could see that the entire room was awash with a blue glow as the _Resolute _slipped through hyperspace, and that it was empty, as it had been the first time they'd come here. Beside her, Rex strode forward to the table at the farthest end of the room from the doors and set his pack upon it, using his uninjured hand to open the drawstring. As he began rummaging through the contents, Brenna hoisted herself to the table's surface and tried to peer into the bag to see what he was doing.

At her movement, he made to close the opening and gave her a stern look. "No peeking."

Rather than reply she made a mild salute, which made the half-smile appear again. A few moments later he pulled out his closed fist from the bag and held it out to her expectantly.

"What is it?" she asked, eying his hand.

"Dinner," was the curt reply, though she thought that she noted a spark of amusement in his eyes as he said the word.

Brenna cupped her palms below his and watched with dismay as two dice-sized cubes of _something_ fell into her outstretched hands. She watched as Rex selected one of them for himself, then took a seat beside her on the table, popping the cube into his mouth and giving her a nod. "Aren't you hungry?"

"This is..." She shook her head and looked from him to the beige-colored cube that remained in her hand. "...food?"

"It's a ration cube," he replied as he swallowed. "All the nutrients you could ever want, right at your fingertips. They're not particularly tasty, but they're a far-sight better for you than bang-corn or honey sticks, that's for sure."

As he spoke, she watched him very carefully, searching for signs that he was joking because really...a ration cube? However, his gaze on hers was perfectly solemn and his tone was just as serious; since she had no wish to offend him by turning away his offer, she nodded and stuck the cube inside her mouth. It tasted no better than it looked, but the taste wasn't the worst part. The texture of the cube was mealy and gritty all at once, making her think she was ingesting some kind of gravel, and it was almost impossible to work her teeth around it in order to bite down.

Rex was still watching her, his face giving away nothing. "If it's a bit stale, just let it dissolve for a moment."

Despite the fact that she wanted to spit the disgusting thing out, she nodded and tried to work it around her mouth with her tongue while suppressing her gag reflex. Well, he'd been right about the dissolving bit, but the cube being broken down by her saliva did not improve its taste or texture, and she wondered how in the stars he'd managed to eat his so quickly.

"How is it?"

It was impossible to reply to his question with her mouth full of cube, so she gave him a tight smile that she hoped concealed her distaste. At the expression, Rex nodded as if to himself.

"Good," he said, reaching into his pack again, withdrawing a bottle of _kolla _and handing it to her with a broad grin that belied his stern mannerism of a moment ago. "This'll help wash it down."

As she gaped at him, he began pulling out various other foodstuffs – similar to the kind she'd brought for their first dinner – all of which were quite familiar and most definitely _not _in cube-form. Immediately, Brenna opened the bottle and took several swallows of the drink to wash away the cube, after which she gave him a mock-glare. "Was that some kind of hazing, or is it standard operating procedure to trick people into eating those...things?"

Again, the half-smile and she felt her cheeks grow warm. "Little of both. And it was hardly a trick. I handed it to you and you accepted."

"Never again," she replied, though she was grinning at him. "Lesson learned. I didn't think you were the type to play practical jokes."

"Only the impractical ones are worth my time," he said with an answering lift of his brow as he held out a plastic container filled with something small, breaded and – thankfully – identifiable as _food. _"Podpopper?"

* * *

_Ugh. Ration cubes. Certainly not good "date" food, huh? ;) I know it may seem a wee bit OOC for the stoic captain, but he's getting more comfortable with Brenna, and this is his way of demonstrating that. :)_

_Next time: more second (?) date, and one of my favorite scenes in the entire fic. :D_

_Side note: as of the posting of this chapter, I've officially "published" over one-million words! :D While it's not quantity but _quality_ that matters, I'm still proud of this achievement, as each word represents a step in my writing journey. Or something. :P Anyway, thanks for reading!  
_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Soon they had an assortment of packaged foods spread between them; although most of it appeared to be taken from the mess-hall, there were a few things, like the podpoppers, that Brenna knew were definitely not standard-fare.

As she speared a selection of blatberry pie, she cast Rex a curious glance as he somehow managed to maneuver his left hand out of its glove and gauntlet even as his right rested within the sling. "Where did you get all of this?"

"I have my ways," he replied, setting the pieces beside his pack and reaching for a bottle of _kolla_. "Civvies aren't the only ones who can sneak food aboard the ship, you know."

In addition to the slightly teasing edge, there was a note of pride in his voice that made her smile. "I've learned never to underestimate you guys," she said as she took a bite of the pie: sweet, with a slight, tangy hint that made for a pleasant contrast. "And to be honest, I don't blame anyone for wanting something other than those...cube things. Ugh."

"They're practical for missions," he said, sipping his drink. "But no one's really a fan. Especially Fives...hence this selection."

"Fives...he's the one who gave all this to you?"

Rex nodded, then chuckled to himself as he watched her. "He wasn't pleased about it, but he owed me one."

The pie really was delicious; when she looked down, she realized that she had almost eaten all of it, so she held out the container to him. However, Rex shook his head and indicated that she should finish it. As she selected another measure with a fork he'd brought along, Brenna shot him a glance. "Did he know that you were going to be sharing it with me?"

At this, Rex seemed to hesitate, though after a moment he nodded slowly. "He...knows about you," he said in a careful voice. "As do some of the others – apparently it's difficult to keep something like this from them. If that's what I'm supposed to do..." He trailed off and knitted his brows as he regarded her. "Am I?"

"Do you want to?" The pie finished, Brenna set the container to the side and took a sip of her drink; a few minutes ago, she'd abandoned her shoes on the floor, ensured that her dress covered what it was supposed to, and folded her legs on the tabletop before her so that she was facing Rex, whose armored legs still hung over the edge of the table.

He considered, then shook his head. "I don't like keeping secrets," he said at last, meeting her eyes. "But I do enjoy my privacy. Either way, I'm not sure how these things are done, or if I'm even _allowed_ to be...here."

On the word _here_, he indicated the table and her, and she nodded in consideration. There was a beat while she thought over her response, during which they began to clean up the remnants of their meal.

"It's not against the rules for a civilian in my position to spend his or her free time with a clone trooper," she said at last, thinking of Tucker and trying not to. "As far as I know, there are certain...things that I'm _not_ allowed to do, but this-" It was her turn to indicate the table and the space between them. "-isn't one of them. I believe it's the same for you guys, too."

Perhaps he could read her thoughts on her face, for he seemed to study her for a moment before he put the empty containers into his pack and set the object off to one side. "Are you sure?"

"I've...looked it up," she admitted, glancing down and smoothing out the hem of her dress over her ankles. "You know...just in case."

It was true, she had done so years ago with Tucker, and she figured that the rules hadn't changed much, if at all. Besides, she probably would have been learned that things were otherwise when she started working on the cruiser, as there had been a huge manual of rules for her to study.

_I'll have to tell him about Tucker_, she thought as she glanced back up at Rex, who was looking at her as if he couldn't decide whether to be pleased or embarrassed. _Eventually. It's still too soon, now. _

Rex shifted in his seat, the action about as akin to fidgeting as she'd ever seen from him, then he cleared his throat. "So, it's not against the rules – on your end – for us to spend time together," he said carefully. "Good to know."

"As long as the relationship doesn't interfere with our duties," she added, though she winced after the word 'relationship' slipped out of her mouth.

Rex, however, didn't seem to notice; instead, he gave a grave nod. "That goes without saying." At her wince, he cast her an odd look. "Are you okay?"

"It doesn't...I didn't mean to say 'relationship,'" she replied with a shake of her head. It threw her off, how he could be so confident one moment and so..._innocent_ – which felt like the wrong word, but there it was – in the next.

"What did you mean to say?"

In her twenty-four years, Brenna had encountered few men – clone or otherwise – who didn't balk at the mention of something like a commitment. She knew that it wasn't so for all men and that it was quite unfair of her to judge the gender by the actions of a few, but she couldn't help her feeling. Tucker had fled the moment that reality had come crashing down around them; before him, Arcas had turned away as well, after the initial haze of attraction had worn off and he realized that he didn't care quite as much for her as he'd thought.

But that was all behind her, or should have been. Rex was _not_ Tucker, nor was he Arcas. He was entirely his own man, and she wanted to move on from past mistakes as much as she wanted to keep spending time with him, so Brenna took a breath and met his eyes again. "We don't have to put a name to what we're doing, Rex, but if we were going to...a 'relationship' might be the correct term."

"A 'relationship' is different from a 'date,' correct?" Again, his tone held nothing but curiosity and his eyes were sharp as he considered the words. When she nodded, he looked thoughtful once more. "How so?"

She paused, still hesitant and not quite trusting that he wouldn't bolt from the direction the conversation had taken. "A relationship is more...stable, I guess you could say. But we don't have to..."

"No," he said when she trailed off.

Her heart fell and a small, mocking part of her brain gave a derisive laugh at the feeling.

However, it only lasted for a moment, as his next words brought a smile to her face. "I think we should," he added in the same business-like tone she'd heard from him before. "Start a relationship, I mean. Whatever is appropriate, as long as we get to spend time together." He paused again and gave her another cautious look; now his voice was edged with hope. "Does that work for you?"

All she could do was nod in response even as she thought, _please kiss me again_.

* * *

As she nodded, Rex watched another lovely flush creep across her face and wondered if she would mind if he kissed her again; he decided against it – for now, anyway – as she seemed a bit nervous about something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

But he thought – he _felt – _like he should do something to acknowledge what had just been decided, so after a moment he slid himself closer to her, leaving only a few scant centimeters of distance between them as his legs continued to hang over the table's edge. There was a beat of hesitation on her part, then she shifted closer to him as well, so that her knee was almost-but-not-quite brushing his upper thigh, and they sat in silence for a few moments.

Hours ago, as they'd kissed in her office, it had been difficult to keep the bulk of his desire in check, but with their new proximity it became even more so; actually, he realized that much of the difficulty had started when he'd met her outside her cabin, when he'd been unable to keep his gaze from her figure.

Tonight was the first time he'd seen her in something so feminine – for their last encounters, she'd been wearing her normal trousers and a simple top – and pretty much all coherent thought had shut down the moment her cabin door had opened and he'd taken stock of her. Thankfully, she hadn't seemed to take offense when all he'd managed to sputter out was an inadequate "you look lovely."

He cast her another glance and noted how her shoulders tensed, just a fraction, beneath his gaze. A brief thought back to when he'd met her at her cabin reminded him that she'd flushed when he'd offered the clumsy compliment, and an idea occurred to him as he looked away from her again. Had she worn this dress...for his benefit? It was form-fitting, but not overly revealing, and while he didn't have a kriffing clue what constituted something fashionable, in his mind the soft blue dress that she'd worn both complimented her frame and made him want to act very, _very_ inappropriately.

The notion that she'd selected an outfit with the intention of him noticing and _liking _it was...strange. Not unwelcome, not in the least, just different. As was pretty much everything about the situation in which he'd found himself.

However, he had no idea what such a thing meant, or even if there was any way to verify his theory – other than outright asking, which he didn't want to do at risk of making himself look even shinier – so he resolved to wait and see. Let events unfold as they would and he'd figure it out, eventually.

For a little bit they watched the swirling of hyperspace beyond the window, then she cleared her throat and cast him a glance. "How are the new recruits?"

Even though he was pleased that she'd thought to ask, he couldn't help but frown at the question, or rather, what his answer was going to be. She must have mistaken his expression for annoyance at the question, for she shook her head and looked away. "Sorry. Never mind..."

"No, it's alright," he said, which made her turn back to him. "It's just...they're different in a way that I wasn't expecting."

Her hands moved to her lap; he noticed that she had a tendency to fidget when she was nervous or uncomfortable, but he could also tell that she tried not to. When she looked at him, there was only curiosity in her eyes. "They're new, right? Shiny?"

He smiled at her use of the term. "Yes, but that's not what's bothering me." Until he'd said the words, he hadn't realized that he _was _bothered, so he took a breath and continued. "They're clones, like myself and my brothers, but they're not Kaminoan-bred. Have you ever heard of Spaarti Creations?"

She shook her head and he frowned in thought as he spoke. "The Kaminoans grew and trained all of us in ten years; Spaarti Creations did the same with the new guys...in one."

"One _year_?" Her brown eyes widened and she sat upright and shifting her legs so that they were hanging over the edge of the table, the hem of her dress resting around her knees. "That's...is it even possible?"

"It must be," he replied in a wry voice, quietly pleased that she understood the significance of what he'd said without him having to explain. "I've got the proof sitting in my barracks right now, polishing their armor practically in unison."

Brenna shook her head again, which caused strands of her hair to fall around her face and shoulders. Absently, she smoothed it back with her fingers, and he was lost to the scent of what he'd figured out was her shampoo while she spoke again. "How did the cloners manage it? I know that you guys are flash-trained constantly – even in your sleep – and even then it takes years to learn everything you need to learn." She gave him a look, eyes still wide with disbelief. "I can't even imagine...you haven't seen them fight, have you?"

"We're doing drills tomorrow morning," he replied, watching the way her hair refused to stay in place, framing her face like a curtain. Some kind of fruit...that was the scent, he decided. It wasn't one he was familiar with, but it smelled clean and sweet and delicious...

_Get a hold of yourself, _he thought, clearing his throat and continuing. "After that...we'll see how they handle themselves on the battlefield. I've read some unsettling things..."

"Like what?"

This caused Rex to frown again as he cast his mind back to the reports that he'd gotten a hold of from Omega Squad, a unit of commandos who'd had the opportunity to see the Spaarti clones in action. Poor aim, sloppy thinking, and seemingly non-existent survival instincts were only some of the traits of the new guys that Omega had described, and he'd gotten the sense that the commandos were trying to be diplomatic.

"I haven't seen them fight in person," he added in a deliberate voice. "But by all accounts, they're not up to par with Kaminoan-bred clones. From what I can tell, their strength is supposed to be in their numbers."

The words made his eyes close, briefly, as his stomach twisted in a knot. That had been the gist of every report he'd read. He wondered if Appo had known that; it would have explained the other trooper's curt behavior. Perhaps it served as a way to distance himself from the grim reality of the Spaartis. Well, even so, Rex was unwilling to give up hope just yet; he refused to judge the new clones until he saw them in action.

Beside him, Brenna rubbed at her upper arms with her hands as if she were cold. "That's horrible."

"I'm...worried," he admitted, glancing down at his injured arm and wishing it were healed already; he needed to be at peak efficiency to deal with the coming challenges. Suddenly, her hand was on his cast again, and when he looked up, he met her gaze and completely lost his train of thought.

"I don't know much about war and fighting, but I'll gladly listen if you want to tell me about it, Rex. After all," she added with a soft smile. "You listened to me babble on and on about Iri."

"That wasn't exactly a hardship," he replied, though he was pleased both at her words and at the realization that she was essentially a neutral party as far as this kind of talk went. Rex didn't want to influence his soldiers' thinking by expressing these kinds of concerns to them; ever since Umbara, he had taken pains to ensure that the ideals of unity and trust were strong with each of them, and was reluctant to see the brotherhood ripped apart by doubts.

Because he had many of them.

Nor, he realized, did he feel entirely comfortable talking to Ahsoka right now. Even though he figured that he was moving on from his "crush," it was still not quite as it had been between them, at least in his mind. Maybe it would take time for him to adjust to the way things were, now. Anyway, he didn't want to burden the Padawan with this, not when she had her own troubles.

Again, Rex studied the brown-haired woman whose hand was still resting on his cast over his right arm; somehow, even through the solid material he could feel the warmth of her skin. This close, the scent of her hair was intoxicating, filling each breath, and he could make out individual freckles on the bridge of her nose. Like the rest of her, they looked soft.

After a moment he exhaled, trying to remember what he'd been about to say while also trying to release some of the tension he suddenly felt; it was partly at her proximity – which was welcome – but partly due to the overall nature of their conversation, which wasn't. "It may be too soon to say, but I honestly don't know if they'll work out. I want to believe it, but..."

"But you don't."

"I don't know what I believe," he admitted, adding a small shake of his head. "I wish I did. I should, but I don't."

"You will," was her reply.

With that, she made to lift her fingertips away from his cast, but Rex caught her wrist with his left hand. As he drew her closer his mind raced back to the last time they'd kissed, and he realized that he was anxious to see if he could replicate the action; he thought he could manage it, but wanted to _know. _In response, Brenna shifted her torso towards him and tilted her chin, while he released her wrist so that he could reach up and brush the hair away from her face. Before he leaned forward any further, he studied her eyes to make sure that he wasn't overstepping any boundaries.

There was only _yes_ in her gaze, so he did as she'd done before in her office. He brushed their lips together once, tentatively, marveling at how soft she was, how warm. His left hand had come to rest at her cheek but the sensation of the kiss made him want to pull her closer, so he dropped his fingers down to the small of her back and did so. As a result, the kiss itself gathered strength, sending a coil of heat through his entire body and kicking his heart-rate into a higher gear.

Brenna reached around his neck with one hand so that her fingertips were brushing his hairline, placing her other on his left shoulder, on the portion of his body-glove that rested just below his armored spaulder, and they were somehow even closer together; now it was impossible for Rex to think about anything coherent, let alone _breathe_, especially when she gave a murmur of pleasure beneath his mouth.

The sound stirred something within Rex, something he'd felt only a few times before, but never with this kind of intensity.

Desire coursed through him, hotter than any flame, and he could feel himself losing control. But it didn't matter so much as she made another, similar noise, and he couldn't suppress his satisfaction at the knowledge that _he_ was eliciting the sound from _her_. When Brenna's grip tightened on his shoulder, the very last of his hesitation evaporated; before he could stop himself he leaned forward and deepened the kiss, strengthened it, until she was lying almost prone beneath his chest while he supported her with his left hand and kissed her, again and again.

Rex had no idea how long he could have gone on like this, but there was a sudden pain in his right arm, sharp enough to pull him out of the haze and make him let out a hiss of irritation.

Immediately, she broke the kiss and glanced between his face and his cast; beneath his chest she was breathing heavily and he could see that her lips were flushed pink. "Your arm..."

_Fan-kriffing-tastic...of all the times for my crinking arm to be in a sling_. Given the fact that his armor was getting rather uncomfortable in a few places, he took a moment to ensure that his voice would work properly. "It's fine."

"If it were _fine_, it wouldn't be in a cast," she replied, giving him a nudge against his armored chest. Once they were both upright again she gathered her hair back from her face and exhaled, then shot him an amused look, though she said nothing.

The room around them was the same, but Rex knew that what had just occurred between them had caused everything to change. He cleared his throat. "What is it?"

She didn't answer for a moment as a slow smile crossed her face; when she spoke, the movement caused her hair to fall forward once more. "You're a fast learner."

"So I gather."

In the glow of hyperspace her skin looked luminous and he could see that she was still flushed from the kiss, the realization of which only made him want to do one thing. Reaching out with his left hand and wishing that he had full use of both, Rex brushed her hair aside and pulled her close again. Brenna tasted sweet - even better than the scent of her hair - but this time he was careful not to let the kiss run away with him; instead, he kept his movements lighter and more controlled until they parted.

Like him, her breathing was heavy, and her words came out as more of a gasp than she probably intended. "What time is it?"

After he checked his chrono she let out a sigh, the meaning of which he could guess. "It's almost time for me to call Iri," she said, meeting his eyes. "I can't miss it."

"I know," he replied, stifling the urge to kiss her again; instead, he slid off of the table and held out his uninjured hand to her even though he figured she could manage on her own. Still, it was a chance to touch her, so he didn't let it pass.

He was rewarded when she placed her fingers in his palm, and again when her grip tightened over his hand while she balanced on one foot, then the other, to replace her shoes. Once they were both ready he gathered up his pack and they walked side-by-side to the door that led into the room, hands still joined. Touching her sent a thrill through him, one to which he felt his body responding, and the heady feeling only increased when – on a whim – he released her grip and slid his hand to the small of her back as if to guide her. To his delight, she did not object; rather, she shifted her steps closer and he marveled at how warm she felt, even through the fabric of her dress.

Neither one spoke until they were in the turbolift again, which was when he cleared his throat and cast her a glance. "Will you be available tomorrow evening?"

"I should be," she replied, a trace of hope in her voice. "What about you?"

Rex smiled.

* * *

_Happy sigh. I love a good kiss...or two, or three..._

_Please let me know what you think! As always, thanks for reading! :D_

_Next up: the aftermath of the date. _


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

As they said good-night beside the door to her cabin, Brenna decided that she could get used to kissing Rex. No matter that he may have only had one working arm at the moment, because he certainly knew how to make it count. While he was kissing her she didn't mind being pressed between the bulkhead and his armored plating quite as much as she probably should have.

After a few minutes, when they came up for air, she gave him a regretful look and he nodded, stepping back so that she was unpinned from the wall but not so much that he was more than a handspan away. She wanted to kiss his cheek, but figured that the action would lead them right back to where they'd started, so instead she reached for his hand.

"I'll see you later," she said, giving his fingers a squeeze.

There was a debate in his eyes, as if he was considering kissing her again, but he didn't. Instead, he took a full step away from her and shifted his pack over his shoulder so that it was resting on the armored plating. As he spoke he gave a professional nod, though his gaze on her was anything but. "I'll call you tomorrow, Bren."

Once he was gone, she took a deep breath to collect herself, then entered the cabin. The lights were on and 'fresher door was closed; she could hear the shower running, indicating that Marliss was awake, so she took a seat on her bunk and picked up her holo-transmitter. Moments after she entered the appropriate code, Caith's familiar figure bloomed before her, Iri in his lap.

"_Hey, sis," _he said with a smile that only broadened when Irini began to babble into the proj; Brenna felt her heart swell with love as she spoke to her daughter, the accompanying ache of sorrow and homesickness was acute as well, but she tried not to let it overwhelm. Again, she felt torn between wanting to be with her daughter even as she worked for the child's future.

_A year and a half longer, at most, _she told herself as she spoke to Iri. _Then my contract will be up, and I can go home to her. _

Normally the thought provided her with a measure of happiness, but now...

Now there was Rex, and she felt a pang of regret, even though she thought he would understand. He'd been remarkably open to the talk of a relationship, but she'd still been reluctant to press her luck and discuss plans that were a long way from here and now; there was no need to worry about it at this moment, so she told herself that she would speak to him about it when the time was right, later on.

Of course, this thought brought about another: the harsh reality was that he was a soldier, they were in a war, and even without his altered genetics it was likely that he wouldn't have a future, anyway.

While what she had with Rex was still so new, the idea of something happening to him on the battlefield filled her with dread, and she worked to set the fear to the side and shake away the memory of his arm in a cast. Experience had taught her that if she was going to care about a fighting man, she'd have to get used to the feeling of staying behind, waiting for his return, and hoping that when he came back to her he was in one piece.

After Iri was sent to bed, Caith gave a heavy sort of sigh and looked at her, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. _"I spoke to Mom again yesterday,"_ he said in a careful voice._ "She asked how you were doing."_

"I'm fine," she said, then she grimaced. "I should call her. You don't need to be in the middle..."

"_That would be nice,"_ he replied. _"I think...I know she misses you. It's a big step for her to ask me about you, Bren."_

Bren and Caith's mother, Jensine Damaris, was many things, but physically unable to send a simple comm transmission to her daughter was not one of them. There was nothing stopping her save damnable pride and her need to be _right_, but Brenna also knew that in the past those things had been enough of a barrier to keep her mother silent. She wondered if Jensine had forgiven her yet for running away from the ranch, from Alderaan, from _her, _then decided it didn't matter.

None of them could go back and change the past. The future was unknown and distant. Brenna knew that all she – all anyone – really had was the present.

Rex had said something about exercising her right to choose; at the time, she knew he'd meant with regards to spending time with him, but now, she considered that perhaps another choice was being presented to her. She could choose to try and make peace with what family she had left, or she could choose to continue on being hurt, angry and silent.

So she sighed and scrubbed at her forehead, then shot Caith a wan smile. He'd been there for her, always, and if nothing else she owed him this. It was his family, too. "I'll comm her."

A look of relief swept across his face and he nodded. _"Thanks, Bren. Maybe when you come home we can all start over. Call a truce, you know?"_

"Yeah, maybe." She doubted it would be that easy, but kept the thought to herself.

They spoke for a few more minutes about mundane matters, then said goodbye. As Brenna deactivated the transmission, she glanced over at Marliss; her roommate had finished her shower and was seated on her bunk, thumbing through a holo-zine, her head nodding in time to the music that was undoubtedly blasting through the small headphones that rested in her ears.

Brenna decided to take the opportunity to take care of one last thing. She reached for her 'datapad and accessed the GAR database; a few moments later she'd entered Tucker's number into the search query. While the information loaded, she held her breath. Even though she'd stopped sending him messages a while ago because he'd never replied to any of them anyway, it was always odd to do this, to check and see if the father of her child was still alive.

Finally, the screen pulled up the results of her inquiry, and she let out a sigh as Tucker's designation flashed as "active," though her brow furrowed at the notes that had been made beneath his number: _Unit RC-2693 reassigned to Coruscant following KIA status of additional squad-units._

Os. Crane. Burr. Tucker's squad-mates, his _brothers_...when he hadn't been with them he'd talked about them to no end, and she had fond memories of the young men that he worked with. Knowing that they'd been killed in action sent a wave of sorrow through her, because they'd been good men, and she knew that he would have taken their deaths hard.

"Bad news?" Marliss' voice caused Brenna's head to lift, and she glanced over to see the blonde woman setting her music player and holo-zine to the side.

Brenna stared at the screen of her 'pad without really seeing it. "Tucker's squad was killed, and they reassigned him to Coruscant."

There was a beat of silence while Marliss absorbed her words, then her roommate gave a slow nod. "So he's still alive?"

"He is," Brenna said as her eyes began to grow warm in their sockets. "But...I doubt he's doing well."

"I imagine not. His brothers are dead." Marliss' voice was uncommonly quiet and serious, and when Brenna looked up at her, the blonde woman was studying her hands.

"It's more than that," Brenna replied, suppressing a shiver as she set the datapad down on her bedspread. Despite the warmth she'd shared with Rex not long ago, she felt cold in her dress, and hugged her arms to her sides. "No matter what they go through, the clones aren't given any kind of therapy or...anything. Usually, the only support system they have is each other; losing men who are so close to you...it's devastating. It's like losing a sibling and best friend all at once."

Marliss sat up and folded her legs beneath her as she studied Brenna; her gaze was thoughtful and still serious. "I didn't realize. I guess I never thought about it."

They were each silent for a few minutes, during which Brenna pulled out her comlink and began to fiddle with the wording of a potential message to her mother to take her mind off of Tucker. As if having the same idea, Marliss cleared her throat and shot the brown-haired woman a knowing look. "You were out a bit later than I thought you'd be. Did you have fun with your captain?"

Immediately, Brenna was assaulted by a host of memories of the past few hours, and she couldn't prevent the faint smile that came to her face. "It was...nice."

"You're going to see him again?"

"Tomorrow."

Marliss nodded, then indicated the datapad that Brenna had set beside her on the bunk. "Does he know about Tucker?"

"It's a bit soon for that kind of talk. We barely know each other."

"You're the resident clone expert," Marliss said, shrugging her shoulders and leaning back on her hands. "But...he'd probably be interested to know. Is there a reason you don't want him to know?"

Brenna glanced down at the comlink, but the words she'd written sounded silly: _Hi Mom, it's Brenna. I'm doing well. How are you? _

"I don't _not_ want him to know, Mar," she replied at last. "It's just...it's too soon to go into all of that. I rushed in with Tucker and got nothing but trouble. I don't want to...jeopardize anything with Rex right now." Marliss pursed her lips, which caused Brenna's jaw to tense. "I _will_ tell him," she said in a firm voice as she looked back down at the message on her comlink. "But it's my decision _when_."

"Okay," Marliss said, raising her hands. "You're right, it is your decision. I'll butt out."

There was nothing for it; she couldn't come up with anything better, so Brenna sent the message and set her comlink down, casting another look at her roommate. "Thank you."

"You really like him, don't you?" Brenna didn't answer, but she felt her face grow warm just the same, which made Marliss chuckle. "You must...you get all flustered whenever you're thinking about him."

"I don't get-"

But her roommate's voice had turned speculative, with a teasing note that amused and frustrated Brenna all at once. "Something about those clones, huh?"

* * *

By the time Rex found himself back at the barracks, practically everyone else was asleep; the lights above the rows of bunks were dark and the sounds of muffled snores and sleep-wheezes filled the air. He should have gone to his bunk, removed his armor and settled down as well, but there was an energy coursing through him, a restless feeling – similar to the rush of adrenaline in battle – that made him want to be upright and moving.

In addition to all of that, there was also an urge that he recognized as a side-effect of his physical interactions with Brenna, so he decided to expel some of the restlessness and hit the showers. Afterward, he felt a bit more clear-headed, if only a little less restless. He considered trying to sleep – it was the logical thing to do, after all – but decided that he could afford to be awake for a little while longer, so after dressing in his fatigues he made his way to his office, where he began to pull up next week's duty rosters.

But even as he read through the lists, Rex didn't really absorb the information; his thoughts were several levels away with Brenna, and he realized that he felt...light. Lighter than he had in some time, actually. He considered the idea that the feeling could simply be a result of his attraction to the brown-haired woman, but that didn't sit right within his mind.

Rex knew that he was inexperienced in civilian matters, but he was starting to learn. A _relationship_, that's what she had called whatever was happening between them; he was at once fascinated and frustrated by the connotations of the word. Such a thing could – and did – exist between _anyone_, but in this context, he understood that the word contained romantic undertones when used to describe what he and Brenna were sharing.

Spending time with her was pleasant and he looked forward to the next time he would see her; she'd indicated that such a thing was enough for her, but he also remembered her initial distress when she'd thought that he didn't want to see her again, before Fives had explained how these things worked. Ever since, he'd been careful to make his intentions quite clear, because he didn't want her to misunderstand. He thought she appreciated it.

However, he wondered what would happen in the future, should things continue on their current trajectory. As she'd said, there were some options that were not open to him – should he live long enough for them to come his way – and he thought back to his earlier doubts before the battle of Ord Mantell.

It wasn't just Brenna that Rex had to consider. Her daughter Irini was a factor as well; he thought that both of them needed someone who could provide some kind of stability in their lives, especially once she left the GAR and returned to her civilian life.

He was unfit to offer either of them such a thing while he remained in his position.

No, this was not a pleasant line of inquiry to follow. The feeling of lightness dissipated and Rex frowned back at the duty roster, eyes still unseeing. Although Rex admired the other man, he did not fancy himself another Cut Lawquane; he couldn't walk away from everything he'd worked for his entire life. He couldn't abandon his brothers, or his responsibilities to the Republic.

_I shouldn't have seen her again_, he thought with a flash of regret as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed at his eyes with his good hand. _I should have ignored Fives and gone about my life as normal. _Now, after the time he'd spent in Brenna's company, the thought of walking away from her was distressing, and he wondered if he was getting a taste of one of the reasons that the Jedi forbid those of their Order from forming attachments.

Just then, his comlink buzzed. When he glanced down, he couldn't help the smile that came to his face at the message that greeted him: _Just remembered I never thanked you for dinner. Where are my manners? _

_You must have left them in the observation room, _he sent back_._

A moment later, he chuckled outright when he saw her reply: _That won't do. Will you help me look for them tomorrow evening? _

The comlink suddenly felt heavy in his hand. Tomorrow. The future. A future he would likely never have, a future that she probably wanted and definitely deserved. Rex knew that the wise move would be to end it quickly, albeit painfully, before he got any more attached to her and she to him.

It was the honorable thing to do.

But what the kriff was he supposed to say? _Just kidding, Bren; I can't see you tomorrow, or ever again, because genetically, I'm only half the man you need me to be. But thanks for letting me kiss you. _Scowling, he rubbed at his forehead with the heel of his good hand, because even the facetious words sounded heartless and cruel.

Of course he had no experience in these matters, so he was at a complete loss as to how to do something like this. Finally, after far too much internal debate and self-editing, he settled on: _Bren: Thank you for everything, but I'm afraid I have to call off our relationship. It's just not fair, to you, your daughter, or myself. I'm sorry. _

However, as he took a breath and prepared to send the response, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Though he didn't understand exactly _why_, he knew one thing was true: despite all the reasons why he _shouldn't _see her again, he _wanted _to, very much. It wasn't entirely logical, so he was reluctant to trust the feeling, but he simply couldn't take that step and send his response.

So Rex deleted his previous words and replaced them with: _Sounds wonderful. I can't wait._

* * *

_He keeps trying to end it, but just can't manage it...which is good for us, I suppose! :P_

_Next time...the Spaarti clones' first time in battle._

_Thank you for reading! _


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

_Three weeks later..._

When all was said and done, the battle at Halmad was one of the worst of Rex's life.

The mission had cropped up so suddenly that his men hardly had time to don their armor before they were swept onto the transports, after which there had been only a harried briefing given over the comm by Admiral Yularen. By some miracle he'd been able to send out a brief message to Bren so that she would know where he was and what was going on, but the next thing that Rex knew, Torrent Company was being dropped into the middle of an ongoing battle between the Republic and the Seps – the latter of whom had joined forces with the local Halmad militia – only to be immediately assaulted by blaster-bolts so thick, at first all he could see was a haze of electric-red.

Where the captain could normally count on the bright blue and green slashes of both Jedi's lightsabers to follow, Skywalker was elsewhere at the moment, which left Ahsoka to lead Rex and his men along a ridge of ground that circled a wide stretch of farmland; the area housed the underground bunker of the insurgents, which was the Republic force's ultimate destination.

Presently, he and Ahsoka were crouched behind a crumbling stone wall, evidence of a now-obsolete rural population in the area. Many of his more seasoned men were close by, while Appo had taken a group of Spaartis to the opposite side of the ridge; everyone was waiting for the general's signal to attack.

"Once the air support draws their attention, we'll approach from two sides," the Togruta was saying as she spoke into her comlink to Appo's glowing form, Rex and Fives kneeling beside her. In the distance, Rex could detect thundering explosives that made the ground tremble beneath his feet. "Hopefully they'll be too distracted to offer much resistance."

Rex shifted forward, lifting the top of his head above the wall to scan the area of attack before crouching back down once more. The ground surrounding the base was flat for the most part; if the plan were to be compromised, he knew that his men would be almost totally exposed as they charged their target.

Not that it was ever a pleasant notion, but the idea of dying today didn't sit well with him in the least. Aside from his concern for the well-being of his men – which was always at the forefront of his mind – Rex knew that his death would cause Brenna a measure of sorrow, which he didn't want. Not at all. He also realized that he wanted to see her again and understood that it was a feeling that went beyond a normal, healthy sense of self-preservation.

Someone was waiting for him and he wanted to return to her once more. Ideally in one piece.

Taking a breath, he focused back on Ahsoka. "It's risky. If the air support falls through, we'll be sitting nunas out there."

"I'll be there to cover you." Her reply was immediate and without hesitation.

Bucket at his side, Fives shook his head and opened his mouth to speak; before he could, however, another booming sound split the air, the sonic repercussions strong enough to make Rex's teeth clatter together. "You're good, Commander," Fives said as he shot her a grim smile. "But you're not _that _good."

"Wanna bet?"

"_Commander, we're receiving a transmission from General Skywalker."_ Appo's voice broke between the banter, causing everyone to furrow their brows at the holographic form._ "New orders. I'll patch them through to you."_

Moments later the flickering form of the Jedi appeared at her wrist, his arms crossed before him as he spoke in the manner Rex knew meant he was displeased with something. _"Ahsoka: it looks like our air support is being rerouted to southern quadrant, so Admiral Yularen is pulling the flight squadron out of our mission plan; we'll have to take the bunker without them."_

There was a pause, then he added: _"It's going to be rough, Snips, but we can do it. In a few minutes, Appo and I will make the first approach: you, Rex and the others will follow our lead."_

"Copy that, Skyguy," she replied; there was a trace of worry in her voice, and Rex noted that her eyes were tight. When the transmission ended, Ahsoka looked up and met Rex's gaze; she knew just where to look behind his visor. "You jinxed us, Rexter."

Despite the wry humor in her tone, he could see how much the news had upset her, but there was nothing to be done and they both knew it. "We'll just have to spread out," he replied, working to keep his voice calm. "Fives, take yours and Sergeant Silver's teams along the wall and come at them from the east; the commander and I will take the west."

"Good thinking," Ahsoka said with a nod. "Let's-"

Suddenly, one of the other clones started to shout; at the sound, all three of them leaned up to peer over the wall. At first glance, everything seemed normal enough: General Skywalker was leading the charge, his saber arcing bright-blue against the haze of smoke that had already formed over the battleground. Behind him, Rex could see Appo and the Spaartis; their vast numbers making them appear to be a veritable sea of plastoid armor that was streaking down from the ridge-line towards the insurgents who were surrounding the fortified base.

It was the first time that Rex had seen the new guys involved in a full-scale frontal assault; prior to this, the 501st had taken part in a number of space-battles and minor skirmishes, but Halmad was the first occasion for the new recruit to prove their mettle.

However, despite the presence of a Jedi general and a clone officer, the new clones seemed to move without purpose or direction, and although they outnumbered the veterans of Torrent Company by at least three to one, for a few moments Rex could only gape as the first wave of white-armored figured were mowed down by enemy fire. As he watched, Rex realized with dismay that Omega Squad's reports of the Spaarti clones had been all-too-true: they didn't take advantage of any cover that was to be had through the farmland – trees, scrubby brush, upturned vehicles – instead they continued to hurl themselves forward. Clones fell; others leaped over them without looking back. Their aim was terrible. Many shots of blue went wide, hitting anywhere but their intended targets.

"We have to help them!" Ahsoka cried, getting to her feet.

Her voice snapped Rex out of his trance, causing both himself and Fives to get to their feet and rally the boys of Torrent, who appeared to be just as stunned as their leaders. As they made to rush forward – in a far more orderly and sensible fashion – Rex opened a comm-channel with Appo, his own breath huffing as he pounded across the terrain.

"Lieutenant, you're taking too many losses! Tell your men to fall back and regroup along the ridge-line...use your snipers and ordnance instead-"

Appo's voice was as breathless as his own. "Sir, there's no way-"

Biting back a growl of frustration, Rex gritted his teeth. "They're _not_ ready for this! They're going to get murdered..."

There was no other way to think of it; the training sims that he'd watched the Spaartis run through had not gone this badly, and he could see at once that whatever "training" Spaarti Creations had tried to pass onto the new clones had failed miserably. All he could do right now was try and stem the slaughter before it got too much worse.

However, when Appo spoke again, his voice was injected with a note of bitterness that was wholly incongruous among the screaming air of the surrounding battle. "Sir, with respect...this is what they were bred for, isn't it?"

Even as he ducked out of the path of enemy fire, Rex didn't quite believe what he was hearing. However, there was no time to respond to Appo's words, for Rex came upon a group of the new guys, who were clustered together as they ran towards the base. In the distance, he could hear the whistle of an approaching ballistic, so he called to them.

"Get down, the lot of you!"

A few of them turned his way, but none of them made to find cover. It was all Rex could do to avoid being hit himself; he leaped to the side and narrowly avoided getting pelted with shrapnel from the concussive blast. When he righted himself, the new guys were on the ground, their armor scuffed and bloodied, and they were unmoving.

From that point, much of the battle was a blur.

When it was all over they had taken the base, but as Rex stood beside Ahsoka, watching the living collect the bodies of the dead, he wondered again if the cost was too great. A few blinks into his HUD confirmed the KIA count for this battle: Torrent had suffered losses of twenty percent – unheard of except perhaps at the Battle of Geonosis at the start of the Wars – and nearly every man who'd fallen was a Spaarti.

Of his own men – of the Kamino-bred clones – only three had fallen and not been able to get back to their feet. Of those, only Varney had died from his injuries; Kix had already tended to the other two, and informed the captain that they should make a full recovery.

Beside him, Ahsoka was trembling, but it was not entirely with sorrow. A glance at the tightness around her eyes indicated that she was also furious, but was working to contain the feeling, and for one moment he was reminded of the little slip of a girl that he'd met on Christophsis years ago, the one who always tried to appear older and more confident than she was. To break her out of her dark thoughts, Rex put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to start and blink up into his visor.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," she said, her voice oddly monotone, considering the emotion he could read within her gaze.

The words of comfort he'd thought to offer now sounded hollow in his mind, especially when he felt anger coursing through him as well, so Rex nodded once. It was probably better to acknowledge the feeling then try and push it aside, but he could hardly bring himself to speak.

"No, it wasn't."

Ahsoka sniffed, but there were no tears in her eyes. "They were so new. They never even got a chance to grow up like you and the others."

A year of life, a year of imprinted memories and faulty training, then sudden death. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right; in so many ways, it was vastly more unfair than his own life-story and that of his brothers because surely half a life was better than none at all.

Anger flared again, sharper and more distinct. There was no way to soften it, no way to dull the edge, not even with bitter sorrow. There was no place in his heart for sorrow, not now. Perhaps there would be, later. Rex took a breath to collect himself, then spoke again. "You did your best, Ahsoka. We all did."

She opened her mouth to reply, then frowned as her eyes darted off to the side. He followed her gaze and watched as a dark-clad figure approached them, flanked by Appo and a few of the Spaarti clones who had not fallen. On an unseen signal, Rex and Ahsoka stepped forward to meet the general at the edge of the bunker they had captured. Above their heads, the transports that were to take them off-planet skimmed through lower atmo, leaving tracers of pale white against the darkening sky; aside from their shriek, the air was quiet.

General Skywalker paused several yards away and waited for Ahsoka and Rex; as they approached, Rex watched the Jedi's eyes sweep across the battlefield once, only to look away almost immediately. In the past, Rex had seen the young Jedi express remorse, sorrow and even anger at the casualties that had arisen from battle, but in this moment his gaze was distant.

The moment that he and Ahsoka met with Skywalker, the Jedi began speaking. "Once this mess is cleaned up, we'll get off of this rock – the Council has another assignment for us, of course."

Like Ahsoka's had been, his voice was strangely monotone, as if he was deliberately trying to withhold emotion from his words.

"Master..." Ahsoka's voice was choked and he raised a brow as she gestured helplessly to the fallen soldiers. In the center of the field, a wide patch of ground had been cleared for the transports, who were now circling the area. "Why couldn't we have air-support? Our casualty numbers-"

"-were unable to be helped, apparently," Skywalker replied, eyes narrowing as they grazed across the nearest group of Spaarti clones. "Admiral Yularen had to make a difficult call, but we needed the air support to the south. If we hadn't done so, Halmad would be under Separatist control at the moment."

The Togruta shook her head. "But-"

"Ahsoka," the general said, raising his hand as if to cut her off. "I'm sorry, but their deaths were the price of this victory."

_The price of victory_. The words resonated within Rex's mind and he was suddenly transported to another place, a time when shadows caught at his hands and feet and tried to drag him away to the darkness.

Rex's fists tightened at his sides.

"The cost was too high," he heard himself saying in a rough voice that didn't sound like his own. "It didn't have to be this way. We could have waited until the air support became available."

General Skywalker exhaled and shook his head. "You're right, Rex, it didn't have to be this way." He frowned and shot a look between Appo and Rex. "They were sloppy...I thought you had put them through the training sims?"

Appo squared his shoulders but Rex answered, despite the fact that foreboding had gripped his entire body and squeezed. To counteract the feeling, he took a breath and ensured that his voice was quiet and controlled. "Not even the best sim can compare to live battle, Anakin."

As he spoke, his attention slipped to the Spaartis on the battlefield, still gathering up their fallen comrades. _The price of victory. _Distracted as he was, he didn't catch his lapse in time to prevent it.

There was a pause, then Appo spoke, adding a glance towards Rex as he did so. "Their scores fell within acceptable parameters, General."

Skywalker shook his head. The whine of several approaching transports nearly drowned out his words. "I don't care about that, Lieutenant. All I care about is making sure that this doesn't happen again. In the future, I want you to increase the frequency and difficulty level of the sims; Rex, you and the rest of Torrent will have to really step it up and make sure that the new clones are ready for the next battle."

"Of course, sir," Rex replied. "That goes without saying, but is someone going to inform the Jedi Council about this? Perhaps Spaarti Creations can-"

"They'll hear about it, I promise you," Skywalker said with a frown; he paused, then looked over at Appo who was still beside him. "Lieutenant; come with me, we need to talk about the Spaartis. It looks like we'll have to get some more sent in to replace the ones who fell today. And Ahsoka," he added as he and Appo turned for the nearest transport. "Do me a favor and remind the captain about proper protocol."

With that, he made for the landing zone where the newest transports had touched down, Appo followed silently. For one moment, Rex and Ahsoka stood together and said nothing. Only when he felt her hand on his forearm did he realize that he was shaking.

Ahsoka's voice was quiet. "Their deaths aren't your fault."

"The general was right," he replied, feeling his shoulders sinking with each word. "We should have-"

"I don't know why they're so different from you guys," she interrupted. "But they are, Rex. The Spaartis are...different. It's not your fault."

Rex glanced around them, watching his men help the new guys to their feet so that they could make their way to the transports. The dead would be collected all through the night. He would help. He wouldn't rest until every last man was accounted for. "Then whose is it?"

The Padawan exhaled and shook her head, her _lekku_ swaying slightly with the motion. "I...I don't know, Rex."

Her words were grating, but he shook the feeling away because he knew that she was trying to help. In the back of his mind he remembered that he'd promised Brenna he'd see her as soon as he could, but after what he'd seen she felt so far away right now, and a small, bitter part of him didn't want any memories of her associated with this day. If he got the chance, he'd call her and let her know he was alive.

It was the best he could do, right now.

* * *

_Wow. Those Spaarti clones aren't too hot in battle, huh? I know Anakin's coming across as dark, but he's not the most even-tempered individual; he's a man of extreme emotions and passions. When he's happy, he's ecstatic and when he's upset it's like a stormcloud over the sun. He's also not the easiest character to write, so I'm curious to hear what y'all think of him in this fic. :)_

_You'll notice that we jumped ahead in time a little bit, and that I didn't go into more of the "aftermath" of the date, or the Spaarti clones in training. I debated showing both of those things, but decided against it, in the end; at times it was difficult to only touch on the essential events in this narrative rather than showcase every moment in Rex's story, but I wanted to keep the fic moving at a good pace and make sure that the focus stayed tight. But take heart: there's much clone banter and romance to come! _

_Next time: the aftermath of Halmad._

_FYI, I'll be out of town next week, so there will be an update on 8/20 but_ **not **on 8/24_. __Updates will resume their regular schedule on Monday, 8/27. Thanks for your patience and understanding! :)_

_NOTE: As my profile states, if you'd like to use any of my OCs, from this fic or any other, please ask me first. I'm really very open to others using my original characters, but since I own them, I'd like to be asked permission, first. Thanks._


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Sitting at her desk, Brenna narrowed her eyes as she listened to the shouts over the clones' comm-channels. Most of it was static-filled or incoherent with chatter, codes and signals she didn't yet understand. There were few voices here and there that caught her attention, but there was only one that made the faint thrum of fear – the one that had kept her distracted from the routine pattern of her work – start to fade.

Rex's voice. She thought it was, anyway. There was an edge to it, a harshness that she had not heard before, but she recognized the inflections. It was enough to make her exhale in relief and lean back in her chair. The battle of Halmad was over and the troops were going to return to the _Resolute _in a few hours. Rex was alive. More than that she didn't know.

Of course she _did_ know better than to slice into the GAR comm-channels to eavesdrop on what was most certainly classified intel at this point, but she found that she couldn't quite stop herself; before he'd left, Rex barely had the time to send her a message telling her where he was going but that he had no idea when he'd be back.

Before that, it had been a few days since she'd seen him, as their schedules hadn't lined up conveniently for some time. Brenna missed seeing him and thought about him more often than not. Prior to Halmad, she'd toyed with the idea of "listening in" - as she thought of it - to other missions and skirmishes, but hadn't quite worked up the nerve.

However, when she'd overheard some technicians from the hangar mentioning something about how the clone's air-support had been rerouted, and about how this battle was supposed to be so much more brutal than anything else Torrent had been involved with, lately...

Well, she wasn't exactly sure what _that_ entailed, but the tone of the techs' voices caused alarm to flood her, hence the slicing.

Anyway, he was alive and he was coming back. Brenna cut the link and erased what evidence there might have been of her intrusion, then leaned back in her chair to rub at her eyes. Agitation still coiled within her, but it was easing with the knowledge that he'd survived.

Another deep breath helped as well. This feeling – nervous, restless anxiety – was the price of caring for someone in his position, of that she was well-aware; she'd felt similarly with Tucker, though he'd always spoken so lightly of fighting, making each mission seem like an adventure, even a game. It was not all because of his youth, though she knew that played a role. When she'd first known him, Tucker had been irrepressibly sunny and vibrant, with a mega-watt smile that had left her breathless every time he turned it upon her.

A faint buzzing in her pocket alerted her to the fact that her comlink was going off; when she pulled the device out, she gave another deep exhale at the waiting message:_ We're back. I'm fine. I'll call you later._

It was in his customary terse style, but _something_ felt off. Perhaps it was her overactive imagination reading too much into simple text, but Brenna couldn't help but frown at the words. Normally, he left her with some indication of when he'd see her again, even if it wasn't to be for a day or so, but there was nothing of that sort here.

Brenna spent a few moments in deliberation, then made her choice. After making a brief stop at her supervisor's office to plead off sick the rest of the day – stomach problems from nerves counted, right? – she hurried through the _Resolute's _corridors, towards the medbay, which was where she figured Rex would be.

Before she even entered the room she recognized the cool smell of bacta mingled that unpleasantly with that of antiseptic and body odor, and as she approached the entrance she could hear that the wing was agog with activity. Upon entering, at first she only stood inside the main door, trying to stay as out of the way as possible while she searched for the tell-tale blond hair that marked Rex. When she didn't see him after a few minutes, she wondered if she'd made a mistake in coming here.

A pair of medics guiding a hover-stretcher brushed past her, and as she side-stepped to avoid them, she suddenly felt very foolish because she'd cut out of work early and rushed over with hardly a thought. It was unwise to act without thinking in such a hasty manner, but it was her nature to do so when she was worried for someone she cared about.

Rex was fine, he'd said so himself, and she would see him again, soon. For now, it would have to be enough. With that thought, Brenna turned for the door, when the sound of her name stopped her in her tracks.

"Miss Damaris?" It was a clone with close-cropped hair, Aurebesh lettering tattooed beneath the dark fringe; his voice was quiet and comforting, and upon the shoulder of his left arm was a red marking that indicated he was a medic. She recognized him as one of Rex's more veteran men but couldn't place his name. When she nodded, he stepped closer so that they could speak properly. "You're looking for the captain, aren't you?"

Heat crept to her cheeks as she answered in the affirmative. Did they _all_ know who she was, or was it still a select few, as Rex had indicated before? Aside from Fives and Jesse, she hadn't really met any of the men under Rex's command, as most of their interactions had been – as he'd put it – one-on-one.

Perhaps he hadn't let her know exactly how many of the other clones were aware of their relationship for fear of embarrassing or upsetting her in some way. With this, the thought occurred to her that maybe the thing that didn't _feel _right in Rex's message was that he _wasn't_ fine, and that he really was injured, or worse, and had been trying to spare her the knowledge.

She thought that the clone medic picked up on her sudden bout of nerves, for he gave her a soft smile that she could tell was meant to reassure. "He's okay, he's just not here right now. He probably went to his office."

Brenna felt a sigh of relief overtake her, and she nodded, flashing the medic a grateful smile. In response, his ears reddened as he ducked his head in acknowledgment. Before she rushed off – and now that she knew where Rex was, she was going to rush, there was no doubt – she extended her hand to him. "I'm sorry, I don't know your name."

"Kix, ma'am." There was a beat where looked at her hand in surprise, but his grip was strong.

"Just call me Brenna," she replied. "Thank you, Kix. I'm glad you made it out of there okay, too."

The medic nodded to her again, then she slipped out of the medbay to make her way towards Rex's office. She'd only been there once before; it had been a very brief visit, and most of it she'd been distracted by his hands around her waist and his mouth on hers, as his cast had just come off and they'd been "testing" his arm.

When she found herself at the unassuming door, she stood outside for one moment, collecting herself. Despite how worried she'd been, it would be silly to just barge in when she knew he was okay, so she took a few deep breaths before she pressed the panel by the door that would alert him of the presence of a visitor. There was a pause, then "come in," so she activated the door.

Rex looked terrible. Cast in a blue glow by his workstation, there were shadows under his eyes and in the hollows of his cheeks, and she could see a nasty cut along the right edge of his jaw. For one moment he looked up and met her eyes, then he shook his head and glanced down at his desk. "I'm sorry...I can't do this right now."

It was a dismissal, but she was not one of his men. Brenna stepped across the threshold and shut the door behind her, ignoring the look of agitation that crept into his eyes when she began to approach him. When he spoke again, there was an edge to his tone, but it wavered. "Bren...I can't...you shouldn't be here."

"You don't look 'fine,'" she replied, coming to stand before him and studying the cut on his jaw. Thin but deep, she thought it must have hurt and wondered how he'd gotten it and why it hadn't been cleaned and patched up yet.

His eyes closed briefly, then he took a breath and looked back up at her. "Brenna, please go...I'll call you later."

"Why?" At his look of confusion she shook her head. "I'm here _now, _and I'm not ready to leave just yet. So think of something else to say."

There was a pause, during which she took in the battered, filthy condition of his armor; his helmet rested at the edge of his desk, T-visor facing away from him as if standing vigil. Finally he shook his head and gave a deep inhale. "You didn't seem this stubborn when I first met you."

She offered him a tentative smile then knelt down beside his chair, reaching around his waist even as he tensed beneath her. "What are you..."

He trailed off when she pulled the medipac out of his belt and straightened; she set the small container on the surface of the desk, opened it, and selected a cleaning cloth packet. Before he could object, she ran the disinfecting wipe over his cut, once, twice, three times, folding the material over with each passing to ensure that only a clean edge touched the injury.

As she was reaching for a swab and some bacta, he caught her wrist and looked up at her. "You don't have to do this," he said, shaking his head again. "I'm-"

"I swear, if you say '_fine_...'"

A half-smile crossed his face and he nodded as if in acquiescence, though there was the faintest edge of teasing to his next words. "I'm okay."

At her sigh, his gloved fingers squeezed her wrist gently and his voice was serious once more. "Brenna...you don't need to deal with this," he said, indicating himself; she didn't know if he meant his injury or his state of mind. "It's not your responsibility. And I don't want you to worry about me when I'm out there."

"Too late," she replied before she could stop herself. "What would you do if our positions were reversed and _I _was the one risking my life while you were left behind?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but frowned a beat later. "Point taken, but it's irrelevant right now."

"Is it?"

At her words he exhaled again, but she caught a gleam of amusement in his eyes as he regarded her. "Brenna..."

"_Rex_," she replied in as firm a voice as she could manage while he held her in his grip. "This isn't one you're going to win, because I want to be where you are, right now." There was a pause while she watched him absorb the words, then she nodded to her wrist. "Let me finish?"

By the startled look that crossed his face she wondered if he'd remembered he'd been holding on to her, but he dropped his hand at her request. With that, Brenna selected a cotton swab, coated it with bacta, then knelt over him again as she began to gently apply the gel to his jaw; her focus was fixed on the bloodied cut, so much so that she didn't notice how tense he'd gotten again until his lack of motion caught her attention.

He was so still that he was hardly breathing, and when she straightened and reached for a synth-skin bandage to cover and protect the cut, she noted that his eyes were locked onto her every movement. As she leaned over him again to smooth the bandage over his warm skin, she sighed. "Rex, you need to breathe or you're going to pass out. I'm not strong enough to drag you to the medbay, especially if you're wearing all of your armor-"

That was when he reached both arms around her waist and pulled her down onto his lap; his mouth on hers was insistent, urgent, and she felt her body responding with a thrill of pleasure. For a few moments she was lost to sensation as he kissed her lips, her neck, the line of her jaw, his hands tightening at her waist before they slid up her spine and twined in her hair. Suddenly, he pulled back and searched her eyes, his expression grim even though his gaze on her was dark with arousal. Beneath her chest, her heart was racing and it was an effort to think clearly.

"What is it?" Her voice was breathless but she didn't care. He was silent, so she moved to rise to her feet because his armor wasn't any more comfortable to sit _on _as it must have been to sit _in_.

But again he held her in place, covering her hand with his gloved one and meeting her eyes once more. "I don't want you to get hurt," he said after taking a breath. "I won't be around forever; even if I'm not killed, this war will end one day, and I don't know what will happen to the army. I don't know what will become of us."

"I don't, either," she replied, shifting to mitigate the uncomfortable press of his armor. "But no one knows the future, Rex. This ship could get destroyed tomorrow...should I leave right now, just in case?"

"It's not just you," he said firmly. "You have a responsibility to your daughter, to keep her safe. That means you have to keep yourself alive and that you shouldn't take unnecessary risks."

Brenna shook her head and held his gaze. "That's true, but there's also a risk in not taking every opportunity I can to provide Iri with the means to grow up strong and happy. I know it's a risk, but it's one I decided was worth it. Rex...we take chances every day – some of us more than others, yes – but still...life is one big gamble."

He was quiet while he absorbed what she'd said, but a moment later he took a deep breath and released her hand so she could vacate his lap. As she got to her feet, he spoke in a quiet voice. "Brenna, if we continue _this _any further you're going to get hurt."

The rest of his words were not spoken, but she could read them well enough in his gaze. _I don't want __you to get hurt, nor do I want to be the one to hurt you._

It wasn't his fault that she lost her heart too easily and despite her better sense. Even now, even when he was telling her exactly what she was afraid would come to pass, her legs refused to carry her from the room.

Instead, her hand reached for his.

"It's too late for that," she replied, working to keep her voice calm as she gave his gloved fingers a squeeze. "We've already crossed that line; at least, I have. Rex, I think that we have something pretty special between us and I'm not willing to let it go just yet. Are you?"

His eyes on hers were still intense and searching. Finally he gave a sigh and dropped his gaze, kissing her fingertips as he replied. "No, I'm not."

With that he broke the link of their hands as he rose to his feet, and she remembered all over again how much taller his armor made him seem. Another deep breath, then he placed his gloved hands at her waist as he regarded her with the half-smile that she was learning to like a great deal. "This relationship stuff is still pretty new to me, I guess," he added in a wry voice. "Feels like I have a lot to learn."

Much of the stricken edge to his voice had dissipated and she thought that he seemed a bit lighter now, so she ensured that her own tone was mild. "Yes, but you're catching on."

With this she offered another smile up to him, which he returned just before he leaned down to kiss her again. Within moments his hands moved from her waist in opposite directions; his right slid up her back and ended its journey at the base of her neck, while his left trailed down, lower, towards her seat. Both pulled her as close as he could, and she could hardly breathe for his mouth on hers. Feeling the need to touch his skin, Brenna smoothed one of her hands on his cheek, above the bandage at his jaw and reached the other to the back of his head, skimming through his hairline.

They remained so for a few moments until he broke the kiss and swallowed hard before meeting her eyes. "Sorry," he said. "I doubt you came here to be...manhandled."

When he spoke this time, arousal had added a deeper resonance to his voice, one that made her shiver as she replied. "You don't know that. You're not always right, Rex."

"That's up for debate," he replied with a raised brow. "About some things, anyway."

She laughed, then reached her arms around his neck and pressed herself against his armored chest in an effort to be closer; he seemed to feel the same way, for his arms wrapped around her back and waist again, and she felt him inhale her scent, as if he was breathing her in.

"You know, you don't have to hold yourself back with me," she said into the soft patch of skin between his ear and cheek.

Over the last several weeks there had been a few times where they had come close; not long after their second time in the observation room it had become apparent that they each _wanted_ to, but they had not yet taken that next step for a number of reasons, time, location and familiarity with one another being among them.

But now...

In this moment, she felt closer to him than she had to anyone else in a long time, so she took a breath to steady herself, then added: "I...want you, Rex. All of you."

His body tensed in her arms.

_Yes,_ _Rex_, she thought as he pulled back and studied her. _Yes, this, now._

For all that he remained still and controlled, she could feel that his breath had grown a bit shorter and she could see the heightened flash of his pulse at his neck, both of which indicated his reaction to her heated words and the proximity of her body to his.

When he spoke his voice was deliberate. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she replied, then she kissed him again.

* * *

_So, because I am who I am, if you pop on over to my AFF account, (look for the link on my homepage), you can read the (MA) interlude that takes place between this chapter and the next. ;) It's called _Resolute_ I. There are actually a few interludes with them, but that's the only one that "fits" into this story. (I wrote it to fit between this chapter and the next.)  
_

_One of the interesting things in pairing Rex with someone like Brenna - a civilian who technically falls "outside" of any rank - is that he _doesn_'t have to hold back with her. It's a common theme among Rexsoka stories, that of the two of them wanting to be together but being kept apart for various reasons; here, there's nothing standing in Rex's way and he's free - to a point - to be with Bren as much as either of them want. _

_See you next time, when we're in the aftermath of [cough] tactical intimacy maneuvers. (Totally stole that phrase from the lovely and talented Queen, btw.)_

_Remember, I won't be updating until_ 8/27,_ because I'll be out of town...so if you miss your "fix" of Rex/Bren and are feeling adventurous, you can always take a peek at my AFF page. ;)_

_Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

_Later..._

In the aftermath of shared passion there was a kind of calm that Rex had never experienced, but thought that he could grow used to with ease. Brenna's bunk was narrow, thereby necessitating a close embrace, but he didn't mind. Far from it. Stretched out beside him as she was, her body was soft and smooth as he'd imagined, except he'd learned several new methods of showing her how much he appreciated such a thing.

Since they'd vacated his office and entered her – thankfully empty – cabin, he'd learned quite a few things, most of which were still replaying in his mind even as he his heartbeat slowed to a normal pace. There was a whisper of warm breath against his skin and he felt her cheek shift so that she was nestled in the crook of his shoulder; her hair was spread out behind her back and one of her forearms was resting against his stomach, flush against his abdomen. Save for her fingertips tracing the outline of the scar two inches from where his heart was, she was still, and had he not known any better he might have mistaken her for sleeping.

"You have so many."

Her voice was hardly a murmur; glancing down, he watched as her fingertips paused against the rough, circular patch of scar tissue, almost double the width of her slender fingers. Rex reached up and covered her hand with his own, pressing her palm against the place that sheltered his heart.

"Got that one on Saleucami," he replied, casting his mind back. It had been a harrowing mission in many ways, mostly due to the eye-opening experience of confronting a clone deserter whom he actually...respected.

Before now, the memory of his encounter with Cut Lawquane had often felt like it had happened to another man; Rex felt like their lives were so far removed from one another that there was no possible way he'd ever truly be able to understand why the other clone had done what he'd done. Rationally, Rex was aware of the close bonds of family that could be formed between beings, but he'd never thought that such a thing would happen to _him. _

But now, holding this woman in his arms, something stirred within his heart, something that he _had _felt when he watched Cut interact with his children and his wife, Suu, despite what he'd refused to truly admit to at the time.

_Longing_.

It shuddered through him with all the intensity of a seismic charge and for one moment he was overwhelmed. However, he was able to push the feeling away a beat later, shuttering it back within the confines of his mind because he knew it was best thing to do, for now. It was what he'd done every time thoughts of Saleucami had entered his mind, so that now it was habitual for him to _not _think of Cut Lawquane if he could help it.

To further distract himself, he tilted his head down and inhaled the scent of her soap, then glanced up at her eyes again; she seemed like she wanted more information, so he elaborated. "Droid snipers took a potshot at me while I was out on patrol with Kix, Jess and a fellow named Hardcase."

He debated mentioning Hardcase meeting his end on Umbara, but decided not to sully the moment by bringing up such a thing. But he thought she could tell that something was left unsaid, or perhaps she understood Hardcase's fate without his having to explain, for a shadow crossed her face and she nodded, then – unexpectedly – leaned up and over his chest so that she could place a kiss against the ugly scar.

Afterward, she tilted her head up to him and gave him a smile that – despite what had just occurred between them minutes ago – was oddly shy. It made him want to kiss her again, so he did. To better reach her lips, Rex pulled her closer towards him and shifted slightly so that he was on his side; he smoothed his hands down her back, her hips, relishing the curves of her body that were unlike anything else that he'd ever touched.

After he kissed her, he gathered his fingers in the length of her hair and savored the clean, sweet scent that rose to greet him; he debated for one moment, then buried his nose in her hair and gave a deep inhale, wondering how she managed such a thing.

Rex wasn't aware that he'd even said the thought aloud until she giggled, her body jerking in a very interesting manner, and a moment's reflection made him think he'd been inadvertently tickling her. Her reply was broken with laughter. "Manage what?"

So that he could face her, he pushed himself up on his side, letting his elbow brace him upright but keeping one hand resting against the curve of her hip. "You always smell...good."

The words sounded silly and he frowned, for all that she was regarding him with curiosity. Swallowing, Rex tried to salvage some of his dignity. "I mean...fantastic."

_Ugh. Not working._ He frowned again in thought, then shook his head because he was at a loss. "Well, I'm not sure what the smell is, but it's amazing."

"Soap and shampoo, combined with regular showers," she replied in a solemn tone even as he began to skim his hand along the length of her arm. "They make all the difference in the world."

"That's not _quite_ what I meant," he replied with a chuckle, adding a smile that made her cheeks flush in that lovely way again. Moments later, he watched as another inquiring look came over her face; this time the soldier in him urged that he brace himself for the unexpected.

Indeed, she reached up again, but it was not to the scar on his chest. Rather, she traced two loose triangle patterns above his eyes as she spoke. "I've been meaning to ask you...what do those markings on your bucket mean?"

His eyes had closed with her touch, and he found that he was leaning into her fingertips as he replied. "They're _jaig_ eyes: Mandalorian symbols of bravery that are given to a soldier who shows courage on the battlefield."

Though she'd finished tracing the pattern her hand remained on his face, dropping to his cheek, above the place on his jawline where she'd bandaged him earlier. "And how did you get _them_?"

His eyes opened, but while he studied her his mind was far away and years ago. "It was right before my squad's graduation exam on Kamino...one of the programmed droids that we were fighting went haywire; it started firing live rounds on the lot of us and wouldn't respond to the controller's commands.

"Two of my brothers got struck down; I managed to pull them out of the line of fire and subdue the clanker as well. Our training instructor said that I had 'demonstrated remarkable quick-thinking and courage,' and painted them on my bucket once we graduated."

It wasn't exactly a fond memory, as he could still see his command-unit brothers falling before him, hear the shock and pain in their voices when they cried out; at the time he'd been angry – furious, even – but later on had come to the realization that _nothing_ could ever be predicted, and that he had to ensure that he was always prepared for any and every contingency. However, he'd been proud to wear the emblem, even more so because when _he_ left Kamino, his armor wasn't quite as shiny as the rest of his unit.

A blink, and he looked back at Brenna, who seemed thoughtful. Before he could speak, she did. "I have one more question." She paused, then gave him a faint smile. "For now."

Curious, he nodded and turned on his side to better regard her. Whatever it was, she seemed hesitant; finally she took a breath and met his eyes with uncertainty. "Marliss is working another double shift, so she'll be gone until late tomorrow morning. Will you sleep here tonight?"

Again, he was caught off-guard, so it took him a moment to consider. A large part of him wanted to remain beside her, as it was far more pleasant that lying alone in his bunk, surrounded by snoring brothers and darkness; however, he was reluctant to stay for the same reason. His brothers...his place was with them, no matter what, and another part of him felt guilty for abandoning them to spend time with her. It was one thing to steal a few moments here and there; it was quite another to spend the entire night by her side and away from his post.

He thought that she sensed his debate, for she gave a small shake of her head and a smile that was meant to reassure. "Never mind. It's okay...it was just a thought. This is still nice."

"_When it comes down to brass tacks, all we have is this one life. I, for one, am going to make the most of mine while I have it. I recommend you do the same."_

One life.

As reluctant as Rex was to admit such a thing about the ARC trooper, Fives had been right. This was his choice. _His_.

Decision made, he planted a quick kiss on her forehead; because he didn't think he could lie tangled with her _and_ make this particular call, he slipped out of her arms, sat up and reached for his armor. Moments later he pulled his comm off of the vambrace and called Fives – voice only – glancing at Brenna as he did so. She'd sat up as well, wrapping the sheet around her torso while also wearing a hopeful look on her face that eased some of the guilt he felt.

It was well into the evening hours, and Fives was not a fan of being woken from his sleep-cycle, so his tone was an odd mixture of irritated and drowsy. _"Whassup?"_

A deep breath, then Rex shot Brenna another glance; the moment his next words registered with her, she began beaming and he had to smile in return. "It's Rex. I'm not coming back to the barracks tonight. If anyone asks, will you cover for me?"

There was a muffled yawn, though when the ARC spoke again he sounded a bit more awake and _quite_ amused. _"Sure, sure...don't worry about it. Guess this means you're finally going to see some action, huh? Maybe it'll unwind you a bit."_

_Sorry, _Rex mouthed at Brenna, even though she was covering her mouth with her hand as she laughed. To the ARC trooper, he said: "Thanks, _vod. _I'll be back tomorrow morning."

"_Hey, take your time. Tell Brenna I said 'hi,' will you? That is, if you're not too tired after all the f-" _

At that, Rex shut off the comm and shot the brown-haired woman a wry look. "He's an idiot sometimes, but I trust him. Force knows why."

"You look out for each other," she replied. She was still chuckling, though he noted that her eyes were ranging across his body with appreciation. "You're lucky to have a brother like that watching your back."

Rex tossed the comlink down and stepped back over to the bed, resting his hands on his hips and surveying her with interest. "I'm lucky in a lot of ways," he said slowly, before he reached down to draw the sheet away from her body so he could look at her again. "_Very_ lucky."

Sleep came to both of them eventually, but it was not for some time after that.

* * *

_Shorter chapter today, but with good reason. For now, they can both just relax. :) _

_The story about how Rex got the jaig eyes on his helmet is not canon, simply the product of my imagination.  
_

_Thanks for reading!_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

_There was darkness. _

_There was darkness and there was a mist so thick he could taste it even through the air filters in his bucket. He was running but he wasn't moving. His throat was on fire from shouting but he was making no sound. He tried to grab at brothers, tried to take off their helmets and get them to _see_, but his hands passed through them like he was a ghost – or they were – and they continued to shoot one another, heedless of his efforts to stop the slaughter of their own. _

_Even though most of the enemy tanks had been reduced to smoking ruins, the soldiers fired as if the Umbarans were still coming, only it was at one another and Rex was powerless to stop them. _

_No...no, he couldn't let this happen again. It was his duty to bring light to this world, to this darkness. It was on his shoulders to stop the slaughter, because what else was his purpose if not to protect his his brothers, to protect the ones he loved? _

_Rex tried to call out another warning but he could tell that no one was listening. Beneath his chest, his lungs burned. They burned from the efforts of running between the lines of fire, dodging bolts of plasma that were too bright to be a comfort in this darkness; they burned from his own voice's efforts to claw its way out of his throat and stop this madness, this meaningless death and destruction. _

_But nothing worked. One by one, Rex watched as his brothers fell into the darkness, into the mist. The white gleam of their armor was lost to the shadows. Their dying shouts were frightened and bewildered and there was nothing he could do to help them._

_When the last of them had fallen, after he watched Fives and Echo and Jesse and Hardcase and Kix and Chopper and Coric and Silver and all the others crumble to dust at his feet, Rex knew that he was alone. They were gone. Even the bodies of the dead vanished into the shadows. _

_All around him, within his head and outside of his physical body, Krell's voice reverberated. "Luck has smiled on you today, Captain. Consider yourself fortunate."_

_Bucket long since cast aside, Rex gripped his head and collapsed to his feet, alone in the darkness. Someone was shouting, crying out as if in pain, and his own throat was on fire. _

_There was darkness everywhere._

_There was darkness within._

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Brenna was roused from sleep in the worst possible way.

Rex was flailing beside her, enough so that he was growing tangled between the sheets, and in between gasping for air he was calling out words and phrases that held no meaning for her in the first few moments of her own wakefulness. Upon further reflection she figured that some of the things he said were the names of dead brothers, but at the moment she hardly had time to think because of the frantic way that his body was moving: shaking and twisting like he was being tortured. In the muted light cast by the lock-panel by her door, she saw that his face was streaked with wet.

Suddenly wide awake, she sat up and reached for his upper arms to try and steady him, hoping to gently wake him from what appeared to be a violent nightmare. "Rex-"

As if acting on adrenaline and pure instinct, his fist collided with her shoulder hard enough to make her wince, but she didn't let go of his prone form. Instead, she pressed herself close against his chest and somehow managed to wrap her arms around his torso as she said his name again and again, urging him to wake up.

She knew the moment that he did, for he gasped and bolted upright, taking her right along with him. Beneath her chest she could feel his heart thundering, and a moment later his arms were around her entire body and he was burying his face in the tangle of her hair.

Neither one spoke for a few moments until she heard his voice, uncommonly rough and grating, and he didn't lift his head when he spoke. "Did I hurt you?"

"Not a scratch," she said as gently as she could. "Are you okay?"

She felt his shuddering inhale before he replied. "I guess not." He pulled back and studied her, eyes searching hers almost as if he was trying to remember who she was. "I'm sorry...I didn't meant to strike out at you like that."

His face was wet and his eyes were wide and red-rimmed. Brenna ran her thumb beneath the crimson scab on his jaw, as he'd somehow managed to rip the bandage away. "What was it?"

"I..." Rex shut his eyes, then reached one of his hands up to his eyes to wipe away the moisture; he frowned at his fingertips for a moment, then looked back at her. "It was Umbara. I was back on Umbara."

"Umbara?" She cast her mind back, but couldn't remember the specifics of that battle, only a few details, like the fact that she'd met Rex only days after. "Where that Jedi was killed?"

Rex's eyes narrowed and his words were spoken with a ferocity she'd never heard, even when she'd sliced in and listened to him in the heat of battle. "Krell was _no_ Jedi. He was a traitor. A murderer..."

His voice broke on the last word and his head ducked back into her hair, so Brenna embraced him once more, her mind racing as she searched for the right words. In this moment, she was reminded of the man she'd met in the cantina on Mimban, for he was radiating uncertainty and grief, both of which she could detect even without Jedi-powers.

Finally, finding nothing appropriately comforting or insightful to say, she just kissed his cheek and held him as tightly as she could. "It's over," she murmured in his ear. "It was just a dream. Rex, you're not on Umbara any more."

"I know," was his reply, spoken into the darkness of her cabin. There was a beat, then his arms tightened around her as he added: "But sometimes it feels like I'm still there, not just when I'm dreaming. Sometimes it feels like I never left."

"Tell me what happened."

He took another shuddering breath, but shook his head. "It's in my report. You can read about it..."

"I don't want to read a report," she replied, leaning away from him to activate the lamp beside her bed and brighten the cabin a little bit. After she did so, she selected one of her sleep shirts that had been lying nearby and pulled it over her head.

When she turned back at him, she saw that he was watching her every movement with his customary intensity, except there was something almost desperate about his expression, right now. "I want to hear it from _you,_ Rex," she added.

After a moment his brows furrowed and he reached for her again, circling his arms around her and giving a few deep inhales, then he began to speak. For the duration of his story, she managed to keep her exclamations of shock to herself, instead offering him silent, tactile encouragement – a kiss on his cheek, a rub along his back and shoulders, a smoothing motion against his hair – when he faltered.

"Krell turned us against one another," Rex was saying, his voice nearly shaking with fury even as he held her close. "And it wasn't just that night when he sent us out to murder one another...it was before that, when he tried to get me to execute Fives and Jesse for _treason_, of all things. He tried to rip us apart from the inside. Because he could, he said. Because – in his mind – we were _less, _somehow. Worthless, stupid, blind. And you know what?"

There was a pause while he took a breath and she could feel his head shaking, slowly. "I _believed_ him. Even after all of that, even after I realized what he'd done and what he'd made us do...I believed him."

"Rex..."

"I already had doubts, you know," he said suddenly, pulling back again and looking at her, even though she could tell that his gaze was distant. "About the War, about our places within it."

After this some of the intensity dropped from his voice, but his words were still heavy and bitter. "I used to think that I followed my own code of honor, because it had never failed me. It had never led me down the wrong path. Despite any danger that I encountered, my resolve was strong and my way was clear. Now I don't know what to think any longer, and I don't know what I believe."

Sitting back on her heels and looking down at her folded knees, Brenna was quiet for a few minutes, both because she was absorbing what he'd said and because he seemed like he needed to think over the words, too. Finally she met his eyes. "Rex, it's okay _not_ to always have the answers. It's frightening, but facing the unknown is a part of life."

"But it's more than that," he replied, frowning. "Everything seems so shadowed. It feels like I can't see my path the way I used to, and it's...unnerving."

She swallowed, then toyed with the hem of her shirt as she answered. "Rex, I know that I can never truly understand what happened to you and your brothers on Umbara, but I do know how it feels to be...lost."

At her words he gave her a curious look, so she elaborated. "It's how I felt when I found out that I was pregnant with Iri and pretty much on my own. When her dad took off, I'd never been so angry and hurt in my entire life. But..I was mostly angry with myself and the stupid mistake that I made, because it wasn't just going to affect _me_. Now I had another person who would depend on me completely, and I didn't think I could handle that kind of responsibility."

His voice was quiet, uncertain. "How did you...find your way?"

Brenna unfolded her legs so that they were stretched out beside him while she considered her answer. As she'd said, there was no way that her experiences could compare with his, but she was trying to find a common ground where she could find some way of consoling him. "It was _because_ it wasn't just me any more that I was able to move on. My choices – while they were _mine_ – had to be geared to make sure that my daughter's well-being always came first. I owed that much to her, at least."

She paused, then gave him a remorseful look. "It wasn't easy – that's probably obvious. It's still difficult most of the time, in part because I'm sometimes still angry with her father and with myself; but at least I can say now that I'm doing the best I know how, for Iri's sake. No matter what happens, I know that I'm doing what's right for my daughter. That alone makes up for most of the hardship."

"I know that Irini gives you strength," he added with a nod.

There was a framed stillpic of Iri that she kept on top of the nightstand beside her bed; Brenna reached for it and ran her fingers over the edges, wondering what her daughter was doing right now. "She does."

"So you were able to keep going because you have something – some_one_ – to fight for. Something _more_ than yourself. Someone you love." The words were full of conviction and she could see a gleam of understanding in his eyes as he studied the pic as well.

But she shook her head and set the pic back down on her nightstand. "Yes, but I don't think of it like _fighting_, Rex. It's just...life, I guess. No matter what, you find a way to keep going because you have to. Because there's no other alternative."

He sighed and rubbed at his forehead, but she could see the beginnings of a half-smile on his face. "Fives said something similar to me a little while ago."

"Don't tell him, but I think he might be on to something," she replied with a smile. Rex actually chuckled, then skimmed his hand along her knee, apparently still lost in thought. After a moment, Brenna placed her palm on his upper leg, savoring the warmth of his skin and the corded sinew of his muscles.

Living weapons, the clones had been called, but she knew that they were much more. Despite the other things that had passed between them she was grateful for Tucker, who'd shown her that they were men and not mindless drones like most of the galaxy seemed to think. The thought occurred to her that she still needed to tell Rex about Iri's father, but now was definitely not the time for that discussion.

Anyway, before she could speak he looked at her again, and his eyes were filled with affection. "Thank you."

The intensity of his gaze and his words was – she thought – far more than she deserved for simply sitting and listening, or for her clumsy attempt at consolation, and she didn't think he was referring to their _other_ activities. "For what? I didn't do anything."

Rex shook his head and reached for her, pulling her close to his chest and inhaling deeply, like he was breathing her in. "Yeah, you did. Take my word for it."

* * *

When Brenna awoke the next morning, she was wrapped in Rex's arms and the first thought that occurred to her was that she could remain so forever. Quite happily, too.

As she was starting to learn, he was always warm; living on a ship filled with dry, recycled air that was vastly different from the sweeping winds of her homeworld had made her a bit cold-natured, so it was a welcome change to be so close to such a pleasant source of heat. Eyes closed, she shifted backwards, pressing herself that much closer to the man beside her and savoring the feel of his entire body against her own.

At the action, he murmured something incoherent, then leaned forward to rest his nose next to her ear; the exhalation of his breath against her skin was barely a whisper. Immediately, he began kissing her earlobe, her neck, her collarbone – all with a feather-touch that was light enough to make the hairs on her arms rise up and send a shiver across her skin.

The next thing she knew, Rex had maneuvered himself so that he was leaning over her, and the intensity of his kisses against her neck had deepened enough to make her suck in her breath. When she tilted her head up to look at him, he caught her mouth with his own and reached his left hand up to caress her face and smooth back her hair as he continued kissing her.

Perhaps she should have considered the fact that neither of them had brushed their teeth before going to sleep, which meant that she very likely had horrible morning-breath, but it was impossible to think about anything else but Rex kissing her while he was doing so. Anyway, as far as she was concerned, he tasted just fine.

Once they parted he gave her a drowsy, delighted smile. "'Morning."

"I love the way you say 'good morning,'" she replied with a sigh, which elicited a chuckle from him as he reached for her again.

They idled for a few more moments before he lifted his head and glanced around the room; she watched as he reached for his chrono, on the floor with the rest of his kit, examined it, then sighed and turned back to her. "I should get going."

She indicated the 'fresher. "Do you want to take a shower, first?"

"Very tempting," he replied with his half-smile. "But, as I'd want you in there with me, I would probably never be able to leave."

Because they were both so easily distracted, it took him longer than she figured it should have to dress in his armor, but within about fifteen minutes he was suited up and kissing her goodbye at her door. "I'm not sure exactly when I'll be free again," he said at last. "But once I find out, I'll let you know."

Had the words come from any other person she would have felt a flare of warning, but there was only honesty in his voice and his gaze when he looked at her, so she nodded. However, he seemed to reconsider, and took her hand in his gloved one. "Brenna, I wish I could say exactly when, but you have my word: I _will_ see you again. As soon as I can."

"Your word," she repeated with another nod; the earnestness in his voice made it difficult to reply any more coherently. "That sounds good to me."

They kissed again, then he cleared his throat and gave her an uncertain-but-hopeful look. "I don't know if it's appropriate to thank you for something like this, but last night was...amazing."

She couldn't help but grin even as she felt herself flushing. "Yeah, it was."

"It wasn't just..._that_," he added, shaking his head, though there was a gleam in his eyes at the shared memories. "I...enjoyed all the time we spent together. _Everything_." He met her eyes again before giving her a last kiss on her cheek. "Thank you for...everything, Brenna."

With that he turned and slipped out her door. After she locked it behind him, she gave a deep sigh, then headed for the 'fresher, as she had to report for work before too long as well. A rather large part of her wished that he hadn't had to leave, but she knew it was necessary; anyway, this time he'd left with the reassurance that he wanted to see her again, which meant that he would as soon as he was able.

When she stepped out of the 'fresher and began to collect her clothes for the day, she noticed her comlink flashing with a waiting message. As she picked the device up off of her nightstand, Brenna narrowed her eyes when she saw the origin of the message: Alderaan, specifically her mother's house. With a sigh, she lowered herself to the bed, folded her legs beneath her and glanced over the text.

_Brenna: I was happy to hear that you and Irini are doing well. Things are the same, here. Foaling season is soon, and the spring looks to be a busy time for the ranch. Perhaps the next time you're free, you and Irini can come visit – I think she'd like the quagga foals. Most children do. Take care, Mom. _

Well, it wasn't exactly a heartfelt apology for cutting Brenna out of her life nearly seven years ago, nor was it even an acknowledgment of the fact that she'd done so, but Brenna recognized the message as something of a peace offering.

Even so, her first instinct was to delete and forget about it, but she shook her head and took a breath, thinking over her words to Rex during the previous night. Despite Jensine Damaris' faults it was clear that she was doing the best she could to rectify a pretty hefty mistake, and Brenna thought that she should show some compassion; remaining hurt and upset forever would do no one any good at all.

Force forbid she and Iri should ever have a similar experience, as the very idea was enough to set an ache within her heart.

But it was difficult to find the right words. After quite a few false starts – and she wondered if her mother might have had the same problem – Brenna was able to tap out a similar reply. _Mom: the quagga foals sound lovely. I always liked them at that age, and I imagine Iri will, too. I'll let you know the next time I get a bit of leave. Bren._

Perhaps she wasn't much better, but they were each trying to bridge the gap. Maybe, she considered, that was all that mattered. She studied the comlink for a moment before setting it down, then cast a glance around her cabin, and tried not to feel like it was far too empty without the presence of a certain man in blue-striped armor.

* * *

As soon as the door to Brenna's cabin slid shut behind him, Rex – briefly – considered turning back around, wrenching the door open so that he could lock them both in her room for the rest of the day, but it was a fleeting thought. His brothers were waiting, as were a thousand tasks that demanded his attention, so he simply gave a single exhale of acceptance before turning to make his way down the corridor, helmet bumping into his hip as he walked.

It was still quite early in the ship's cycle, and none of the civilians in this sector appeared to be stirring yet, so he was able to slip through the area unseen; a few minutes later, he'd exited the turbolift to find himself once again at the clone trooper barracks. Home, for all intents and purposes, though he was starting to think he left a little bit more of himself with Brenna each time they were together.

As he was about to slip inside the section that housed the bunks, he felt the faint buzzing of the comlink in his belt; once he pulled out the device, he frowned at the message that he found: _DON'T go to barracks in morning. Medbay instead. _

The medbay? Of course...he'd asked Fives to cover him while he spent the night away from the billet. With a sigh, the captain turned on his heels and wended down a few corridors until he reached the clone medbay.

When he entered the area, it was dark and quiet, save for the rhythmic chirruping of various machines, and he paused for a moment to consider his next move. Moments later, he heard a soft _psst_ to his right. Turning, he saw Jesse's face poking out of a nearby room, which – like the others – was cordoned-off with a series of pale blue sheets hanging from the ceiling. With a tilt of his chin, the tattooed clone indicated that he should approach.

When Rex slipped into the little room, he couldn't help but give a groan of exasperation at what he found. A bio-bed rested at the center of the area, with the usual assortment of monitoring devices around its perimeter, but what caught his eye were the pillows and sheets that were stuffed underneath a blanket that rested on top of the bed, formed in the relative – albeit extremely lumpy – shape of a clone. "_Really_, Jesse?"

"I know, but it was the best we could come up with on short notice," the other clone replied with a shrug and a lift of his hands. "Besides, it was Fives' idea. Just be thankful that Coric and Kix didn't let him color the topmost pillow yellow like he wanted." Jesse gave a snort of derision, then crossed his arms. "Like giving this monstrosity 'hair' would help to fool anyone."

Rex scrubbed his face with his hand. "I didn't think he would do _this_..."

In response, Jesse shoved his hands in the pockets of his fatigues and cleared his throat, keeping his voice pitched low. "The story is that you had a cut that went septic, and that it took the orders of _both_ medics to keep you here through the night. No one's asked, but we wanted to make sure that you knew, just the same."

"_We?"_

"Sure, Captain," the tattooed clone replied with a bewildered shake of his head. "Me, Coric, Fives and Kix. Don't worry," he added as Rex groaned again. "No one but the four of us have been in this room, and we're not going to say anything to anyone."

Rather than respond right away, Rex studied his doppelganger in the bio-bed. Clearly it was no clone, but he figured that neither medic's orders would have been questioned so it was likely that his brothers' ridiculous story had been believed. On one hand, he didn't like the idea of his men lying to anyone, particularly with such an obvious ruse, but on the other...well, it was strangely comforting to know that his brothers had his back in their own, peculiar way.

His men. His brothers. They were one and the same. Rex had been serving with this particular group of men for most of the War, and he considered Fives, Jesse, Coric and Kix not subordinates, but family. To the best of his knowledge, families were supposed to stick together and look out for each other's well-being, which was precisely what he'd asked of Fives.

Naturally, it being Fives, he should have known that such a request would entail something just a little bit ridiculous.

This was the result of such duplicity. Rex didn't care for the idea of being dishonest in any capacity, and decided in that moment that he'd have to search through the regs himself for information about this kind of scenario, because he honestly wasn't sure what they would say regarding acceptable locations where an officer's off-duty time could be spent.

In the meantime...well, he figured this was one of those situations in life where it was wisest to pick one's battles. He glanced up at Jesse, who appeared to be a little nervous, and gave a dry smile. "I have to say...I don't see the resemblance."

* * *

_So...I know it's kind of a silly "plan" that Fives and Co. came up with, but hopefully the silliness is somewhat justified. (It IS Fives, after all. :P) _

_Next time...elaboration of the silliness, and some more fluff. And plot-stuff, too. Eventually._

_Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review. ;)  
_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

About an hour later, Rex had showered and changed into a fresh body-glove, given his armor a good cleaning, and made his way back to his office to catch up on what work he could. To give him a bit of a boost – he hadn't gotten much sleep last night – a hot cup of caf rested at his elbow, but as he worked over the duty roster his thoughts inevitably turned away from his task and back to Brenna.

Last night had been a whirlwind of unexpected, harrowing and fantastic. The knowledge that he had begun his day on the battlefield and ended it in Brenna's arms was entirely strange to him, but – he realized – not unwelcome in the least.

What was even more incredible in his mind was the fact that she'd offered him something that he didn't think he'd ever truly experienced: a haven. With her, he was not just a soldier and certainly not just a clone, he was a man. To Brenna, he was not CC-7567, not even _Captain Rex_, just _Rex_, and it was...nice. Even with Ahsoka, he'd never experienced this kind of closeness and he had to admit...he liked it. A lot.

In a way, the new development to their relationship was a bit frightening, because he was well-aware that one of them could be ripped from the other at any moment by the turbulent nature of the times in which they lived, but overall it was a welcome feeling.

As for what had developed between them physically...well, Rex was a hot-blooded male and there was no doubt that he enjoyed the new level their relationship had reached, but even if she hadn't chosen to share her body with him, Rex thought that he'd be just as pleased with the way things were progressing.

Kriff, he just really liked Brenna and he hoped he'd be able to see her again - in any capacity - very soon.

A chime at his door indicated that he had a visitor and for one moment he thought it might be her, but he shook the idea away – she had a shift at work – and called out, "come in."

When Fives entered, neither man said anything for a moment. Rather, the ARC crossed his arms over his fatigues and leaned back against the wall, studying Rex with an unreadable expression. Just as Rex was about to ask him what he was doing, his brother gave a rather satisfied nod. "You look...different."

Rex had been in the act of lifting his mug to take a sip. At this he gave a sharp exhale and set the mug down on his desk with a slight _thunk. _Fives grinned at him, the expression making him appear much younger than he was. "Good for you, _vod. _If anyone in this crinking army deserves to have a bit of fun, it's Captain Rex."

"For kriff's sake..."

"Now, don't worry," the ARC added, raising his hand in a gesture meant to pacify. "Jess and I have got it all worked out. We even took a look at the regs dealing with 'civilian interactions,' and you'll be pleased to know that you're free to spend your off-duty time with a civvie, provided that they have no problem with your presence, so I think you're covered, there. Unless she wasn't happy with the way you charged up her loading ramp-"

"_Fives_." The curt tone, accompanied by one of Rex's steeliest glares, silenced _that_ particular bout of words from the ARC, and for another moment the two men regarded each other. Finally, Rex sighed and reached for his caf again, giving his brother a careful look over the rim of the mug as he considered all the ramifications of the revelation. "So...there's nothing explicitly permitting _any_ of us from spending time – off-duty, of course – with a civilian? Unless the civilian doesn't want us to, that is."

Fives nodded, then cleared his throat. "You saw your decoy?"

"Yeah, about that..."

"Well, it should be the first and last time," the ARC added with a chuckle. "Spur-of-the-moment...it was the best we could do on short notice. After that, Echo and I went over the regs and-"

The flow of words was abruptly cut off, and Rex caught a faint tightening of his brother's eyes before Fives continued. "After that, _Jesse_ and I looked at the regs and learned all that stuff about the civvies. So, you're covered. I know that eases your mind."

The tone of Fives' voice indicated that he had no wish to discuss his slip of the tongue, but Rex could see the lingering pain in his brother's gaze over Echo's death. Though the ARC could be childish at times, he was a good brother. "Thanks, _vod_," Rex said after a moment. "For...everything. Especially for not drawing hair on the medbay pillows."

At least Fives had the decency to look mildly embarrassed. "Yeah, well...Coric and Kix were probably right about that. Guess I got _slightly_ carried away. You know, if you wanted to repay me, you could always put in a good word with that blonde roommate of Brenna's. Jess said that he's not interested."

Outwardly, Rex chuckled, but his mind was working over the information, as an idea was forming. He'd have to run it by Brenna, of course, but he thought that she'd be pleased.

The captain was lifted out of his thoughts when the other trooper coughed into his fist and spoke his next words in a rush. "We all want you to be happy, you know. Despite what you may think, you really do deserve to be happy."

Rex didn't know quite what to say, so he gave his brother a faint smile and a nod of acknowledgment. Again, there was a moment of awkward silence between them before Fives straightened, a curious look coming over his face. "Does she?"

"Does she what?" Rex asked warily.

"Make you happy."

A series of images played themselves over in Rex's mind and only some of them were definitely private. But, he realized, he didn't have to shut them away and not think of them, because he was free to savor them until he could see her again and make some more memories. After a moment, a slow smile came to his face and he nodded once. "Yeah, she does. And I think it's going both ways, too."

"Really?" Fives' brows shot up in mock-astonishment. "Huh. You should get her checked out...she might be defective, or something. Not sure how it works with civvies..."

"Don't you have somewhere you need to be?" Rex arched his brow and regarded his brother with his third-most commanding glare. "Because if you don't, I know a few floors that are in need of a good scrubbing...with a toothbrush. Cody taught me that one."

"Oh, no...you can't pull _that_ on me, Rex," Fives chortled "I'm an ARC trooper...technically, I'm not under your illustrious command."

Rex laced his fingers together and ensured that his voice was pitched just right, so that the trooper would have to lean forward to fully comprehend his words. "Is that so?"

After Fives had scurried out of his office – and it gave Rex no small amount of satisfaction to know that he could still make the trooper _scurry_ with just a few words – he glanced back at the duty roster, thinking to return to his work, but again his mind wandered far afield of what he was supposed to be doing.

For once he found that he didn't mind so much.

* * *

One afternoon, about a week after he'd first spent the night with Brenna, Rex was called to the bridge; at the time, he'd been mired in training sessions with the Spaartis, trying to get all the new guys up to par, so he had not been pleased to be pulled away, even at the request of the general. However, duty was duty, so after assigning Sergeants Coric and Silver – along with Lieutenant Appo – to complete the session, Rex hurried to meet the Jedi.

Helmet bumping at his side, he strode across the threshold that led into the broad room where command was waiting and cast his mind back to the Spaartis. There were a number of exercises that he thought would be most suitable to facilitate unit cohesion, while also ensuring that the new guys were given the necessary resources to handle any contingency situations that might-

The train of thought ended abruptly when he saw Brenna, standing between General Skywalker and Ahsoka, her brown eyes on him and her entire body keeping unnaturally still as she clutched her datapad. Dressed in her customary jacket and trousers, she seemed out-of-place among the Jedi and the uniformed clone personnel who were working nearby; the sight contrasted with the memory of when he'd last seen her: that very morning, as they kissed goodbye after spending another night together in her cabin, and she'd been wearing a _lot_ less clothing...

Because of all this, Rex froze in his tracks and for a fraction of a second he and Brenna simply stared at one another, before Skywalker – who'd been furrowing his brow at his own datapad – glanced up at the captain and inclined his chin, urging him forward.

No, it wasn't against any regs to have a personal relationship with a civilian woman, but Rex figured that discretion was still a key factor in keeping things that way. As he approached, it was an effort _not_ to look at Brenna, and even more of one to keep his thoughts from fixing on her, but Rex managed.

Mostly.

As her master began to speak, Ahsoka inclined her head towards Rex, and out of the corner of his vision he watched her eyes flick between himself and Bren. However, the Padawan said nothing, nor made any indication that she'd noticed the fact that Rex's ears were getting a bit warm, or that the brown-haired Human woman was suddenly quite interested in a spot of floor between the two Jedi.

"Good, you're here," Skywalker was saying, frowning at the datapad as if he were heedless of all other things taking place before him. "We have a situation. Damaris uncovered a pretty heavily encrypted transmission from the Separatists."

He shot a look at Brenna, who straightened her shoulders and nodded, her eyes flickering to Rex before she explained. "It's a fresh transmission, by the looks of it. There's talk of a potential interception of a transport that's returning from a peace-summit on Chandrila. From what I could gather through Republic intelligence, the transport contains a large number of senators, including some who've been previously targeted by the Separatists."

Something clicked in Rex's mind, so he glanced at Brenna, who met his eyes. "Were there any names given, Miss Damaris?"

Spots of pink appeared on her cheeks at his use of her formal name, but she glanced down to her 'pad, her eyes skimming across the screen. "Quite a few, actually: Garm Bel Iblis, Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Padmé Amidala, Orn Free Taa, Jollin Resbin..."

"That's quite a list," Ahsoka said, her eyes wide. "Wouldn't that many senators already have an escort? A really big one?"

"They're about to have one more, because we're on a course to intercept," Skywalker added with a nod to the viewport ahead of them, where they could all see that the _Resolute _had slid into hyperspace. "I can't take the risk that something will go wrong."

The mention of Senator Amidala's name had confirmed what Rex thought he knew; what he _didn't_ know was a suitably tactful way to point out that it was unwise to divert their resources to rescue the object of his general's affections. After a slight pause, Rex glanced at Ahsoka and saw that she looked pensive as well; her master's proclivity towards the senator was something they'd both noticed in the past.

"With respect, sir," he said in his most neutral voice. "We were heading to Tanaab to offer support to General Mundi and his men."

"He's right, Master," Ahsoka added. "And...isn't someone else available to protect the senators' transport? Someone closer?"

The Jedi's face darkened, but it was not a look of anger. It was fear.

Rex had seen fear on many a sentient's face, so he knew the expression well, but for one moment the force of the emotion radiated from the other man, such that even without the Force it was plain to see that Skywalker was terrified.

"We _must_ help...them," he said with a shake of his head, his eyes falling on the blur of hyperspace beyond the viewport. "There's too much at stake."

Rex could see that Brenna was paying close attention to the exchange; the look on her face suggested she knew that more was going on than she understood, but she kept silent. He watched as her eyes flickered to his for one moment, curious. While he knew there was no way that Bren could discern exactly what was happening with regards to the Jedi and the Senator, the glance his way was enough to spur him into further speech.

"With respect, General, this seems a bit premature," he said. "Have we made contact with the transport? Are they aware of the situation? General Mundi and his troops are in need of our support...they could be overrun if we don't reach them in time-"

Skywalker shook his head, the movement almost violent in its strength. "Lives are at stake, either way, Rex. But these senators are essential to the Republic...we can't let anything happen to them."

"At the expense of Master Mundi and his men?" Ahsoka asked, her eyes fixed on her master.

There was a pause, during which the oxygen in the area immediately surrounding the Jedi Knight seemed to be sucked away and his eyes turned strange and hard. "Sometimes that's the price we have to pay, to keep important lives safe."

With that, he turned and stepped away from the three of them, his gaze fixed on the shredding stars beyond the transparisteel window. There was silence for a moment as Rex and Ahsoka looked at each other, then the Padawan gave Brenna a warm smile. "Thanks for letting us know about this right away, Miss Damaris."

Brenna nodded but said nothing, clearly still uncomfortable with the entire situation, and Rex had a desire to set her at ease. At first he automatically brushed the inclination aside, but then he shook his doubt away. There was no rule to keep him from her, no regulation that would prohibit them from being seen in one another's company.

So he glanced at Ahsoka. "If I'm not needed here, I'd be happy to show Miss Damaris back to her sector. "

Brenna's cheeks colored again and he could have sworn that Ahsoka was fighting back a chuckle as she nodded. Apparently he'd not kept his thoughts as controlled as he would have liked. No matter; he thought that her expression indicated she was happy for him, which suddenly made the entire bridge experience worthwhile and the general's words not quite as disturbing. "Sure, Rex. That sounds good, thanks."

On a whim he offered Bren his elbow and she accepted; he had to bite back a grin as she flushed harder, which had – of course – been his goal. Together, they made their way off of the bridge.

The moment that the door slid shut behind them, Brenna cast a glance his way. "That was...interesting. If I didn't know better, I'd say it looked like you and Commander Tano were trying to convince the Jedi _not _to abandon one mission for another."

Around them the corridors that led to the nearest series of turbolifts were empty, so he dropped his hand to the small of her back, savoring the movement of her body as she walked. The feeling mitigated some of the uncertainty he felt about his own response to her observation. "No, you have it about right."

Her response was to stare at him with wide eyes, so as they entered a 'lift he elaborated. "Skywalker is an incredibly powerful Jedi, and he's a good soldier. He's tough, smart, capable...but sometimes he gets...distracted from the task at hand."

As the turbolift shivered beneath their feet, Brenna cast him another speculative look. As much as he wanted to kiss her right now, there was a question in her eyes that she wasn't voicing, and he felt he wanted to know. "What is it?"

"Before I met you, I thought that I had a pretty good understanding of the Jedi," she said after a beat as the 'lift began to slow. "I've served on ships with a few of them since I started working for the GAR...but I guess I didn't know them as well as I thought."

"You and me, both."

The 'lift doors opened with a hiss and the two of them stepped out; it was a bit more populated on this level, and for a few steps Rex found that he was warring with conflicting desires.

However, he made his decision in an instant, so he guided her from the main corridor into a nearby maintenance closet, then shut the door behind them. It was a tiny, dim room with hardly enough space for two adult Humans to stand amidst shelves of cleaning supplies, but he was past caring about anything like that and hoped she was as well.

To allow them more room to move, he unclipped his bucket from his belt and and set it on a nearby shelf. When he looked back at her, she gave him a smile that made his heart pick up a bit. "This isn't my office," she said as her smile broadened.

"Isn't it?" he asked, tilting her face up to his so that they were only a breath apart. "My mistake. Will you accept my apology?"

The murmur of her reply was lost as he closed the gap with a kiss, and for some minutes he forgot pretty much everything else except the feel of her body leaning into his own. He kissed her mouth, her earlobes, her jaw, all while delighting in the way that she shifted herself closer to him and attempted to work her hands beneath the armor at his chest.

After a few breathless minutes she pulled back and shot a glance at her wrist-chrono. "I'm pretty sure that Marliss isn't in our cabin, and I'm not expected back at work right away. You?"

Rex cleared his throat, because her words had made his blood leap through his veins. "Being in charge has its advantages, sometimes...I have a little while before anyone will miss me."

"How long is 'a little while?'"

He lifted his brow at her. "Long enough, hopefully."

* * *

As usual, Rex thought that the journey to Brenna's cabin took far too long, but eventually they made it. Within a few minutes after shutting the door he'd managed to shed most of his armor; in between kissing her senseless and working to help her slide out of her pesky jacket and unbutton her shirt, he was trying to remove his body-glove. Just she was pulling the top half of the black fabric away from his chest and he was considering ripping off the _shabla_ buttons at the front of her shirt, the door to the cabin opened with a hiss and Marliss stepped into the room.

Immediately, Rex's ardor snapped back and morphed to embarrassment and – if he were honest – irritation at the interruption, though the sight of Brenna's blonde roommate working to fight back a snort of laughter reminded him that the cabin _wasn't _Brenna's alone.

It was a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

"Mar..." Brenna was breathing a little heavily as she stood beside him next to her bunk, her fingers already beginning to work her shirt closed. "Sorry...I thought you were working..."

"Me too," Marliss replied, palming the door shut behind her before looking back at the couple. "I guess we need to work out a system or something. This is pretty awkward...though not as bad as it could have been, I guess. At least I caught you guys in the early stages."

Although her gaze was only thoughtful and in no way inappropriate, Rex suddenly felt far too exposed in just his body-glove, so he followed Bren's lead and began to collect his armor. "I probably should leave," he said, glancing between the women. "My apologies, Miss Menin..."

But Brenna shook her head and put a hand on his arm, effectively stilling him. "At least stay and put your armor on." Her voice dropped in pitch so that only he could hear her next words. "Unless you want to go running naked through the halls."

Despite himself he chuckled. Marliss' brow lifted but she said nothing, instead taking a seat on her bed and removing her boots, scuffed and dirty beneath her navy-blue jumpsuit, which was splattered with grease-stains. As he began to replace his armor, Brenna cleared her throat again and nodded to the 'fresher. "I just have to step in for a moment, but I'll be right back. Marliss...can we talk about this, later?"

The blonde woman nodded in reply, but once the door was closed, Marliss looked up at him. There seemed to be a question in her gaze, and as he fastened his chest-plate, he spoke. "Miss Menin, again, I'd like to apologize for-"

But she'd started rolling her eyes at his words. "I think at this point it's safe to say we should be on a first-name basis, Rex. Call me Marliss."

"Marliss-"

"And you don't have to apologize for anything," she added, cutting him off again. "Lately, Brenna seems really happy and I think most of it's your doing."

Now that most of his armor – save the gauntlets and gloves – was replaced, Rex felt a bit more at ease, so he straightened and gave a swift nod. "I'm glad to hear that you think so, because the feeling is mutual."

"She's a good person," Marliss replied. "Kind, loyal, generous..."

A warning pinged in the back of his mind, so his answer was perhaps more wary that it would have normally been. "I think so, too."

Nodding, Marliss continued. "You know she's been hurt before...badly."

"I know," Rex replied, his voice growing dark at the thought of Irini's father. How any man could walk away from his own child – not to mention a woman like Bren – was utterly beyond him. "She's told me enough. But you should know that I'm not looking to add to her troubles."

Marliss pursed her lips, then crossed her arms before her chest and fixed him with a sharp stare. "Good to hear. And _you_ should know that if you hurt her in any way, I'll make sure you regret it. You have my word on that, Rex."

It wasn't what he'd been anticipating from the slender, blonde woman, but in retrospect, Rex thought he should have. There was a gleam of protectiveness in Marliss' eyes and even though he wasn't thrilled about receiving threats from a civilian, he admired the fact that she'd approached him in this way: direct, forward, to the point.

"If Brenna is ever hurt by any actions of mine," he said at last, measuring his words. "It would not be because I did so on purpose, and I have no doubt that I'll regret it. Immeasurably. You don't have to worry about that."

Still, the blonde woman's eyes remained locked onto his and he held her gaze in return, willing her to understand the truth behind his words. Finally she nodded – a small movement, as if to herself – and uncrossed her arms. "Then I guess you need to learn the lock-code," she said, indicating the door to the cabin. "Maybe we won't have this issue again."

For a second he was stunned into silence, because her words had been completely unexpected, but before he could do much more than nod the 'fresher door opened again and Bren stepped back into the room. Rex immediately met her eyes with his and smiled to himself when she blushed.

"What were you two talking about?" she asked as she came to his side.

"It's fine that Rex is here, Bren," Marliss said as she moved to the 'fresher. "I was just telling him that I don't mind if he has the code to our room, either. I know how these things go."

She paused, then gave a smirk. "Just...make sure that you lock the door before you get frisky. And...you know...send me a message or something next time, so I don't walk in on you lovebirds again."

As the blonde woman shut the 'fresher door behind her, Rex looked back at Brenna and felt a smile creep across his face even though he knew that their earlier plans had been altered, the new development more than made up for the fact.

She tilted her chin, a question in her eyes. "What are you grinning about?"

In response, he pulled her close and murmured in her ear. "Just thinking of next time."

* * *

_Marliss began life as a pretty static character; it was in the editing process that she really came into her own. :)_

_As for our dear ARC trooper...he makes me giggle way too much. Despite (or perhaps because of) his often juvenile nature, Fives was a blast to write. I know he may seem a bit childish, but as it was mentioned early on, Fives' acting out is a way of coping with the events of Umbara, not to mention Echo's death. Rex keeps things inside; Fives puts them all outside, if that makes sense. It was a difficult choice not to go into Fives' character a bit more than I did, but in the end I decided to keep the bulk of the story's focus on Rex and Brenna.  
_

_The toothbrush comment that Rex makes is a teensy nod to the fanon (is that the correct term?) that I established in a couple other fics of mine, namely _Warning Signs_ and (possibly) another one I can't think of at the moment.  
_

_Thank you for reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you think so far, or just that you're reading and (hopefully) enjoying. ;)_

_Next time: another day, another battle..._


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

_About two weeks later..._

Sergeant Silver was dead.

Rex watched as the white-armored form, streaked with Bellassan mud, was loaded onto one of the final transports that had remained to collect the wounded and the dead.

He watched as Kix made a notation in his datapad, a note that – Rex knew without having to look – would say "KIA," and would necessitate his own task to remove the fallen member of Torrent Company from any duty rosters, bridge rotations and training sims, all the places where Silver's name had been since just after Teth, years ago now.

He watched as Coric slowly drew a standard, gray military blanket over Silver's form. The blanket would cover the dead man until his body was incinerated aboard the _Resolute_, in the small chamber next to the medbay that nobody talked about.

Within the confines of his gloves, Rex's hands felt numb. Since the end of the battle, the sensation had been spreading through the rest of him with a slow, sluggish throb, and he idly wondered if he'd be able to feel a blaster-bolt to the chest, should he receive one now.

"You okay, Rexter?" Ahsoka's voice was soft, as was the touch of her hand against his gauntlet.

As he studied her through the visor of his bucket he could tell that she was worried for him, so he nodded, trusting in his often laconic reputation to conceal the fact that he wasn't sure he could speak. In her fashion, she seemed to know the truth behind his reticence, for her eyes were filled with concern.

Her mouth opened to say something else, but Rex managed to find his voice. "You should have Kix take a look at that, Ahsoka," he said, indicating a bright crimson gash against her left bicep. "And I'm fine," he added, patting her hand that was still resting on his gauntlet. "No need to worry about me, kid."

There was a moment where he thought she would argue, but it turned out not to matter because his attention was called away by another of his men, so he gave her a final nod before turning in the direction he'd been summoned.

Strange, how it was easy to move, despite the fact that now his entire body was now numb.

* * *

Brenna drifted between sleep and wakefulness, unable to succumb to the quiet slumber that she most definitely needed after the stress of the past few days. Aside from the distant hum of the sublight engines, her cabin was silent, as Marliss was working another double shift. Rex was still planet-side on Bellassa, though she hoped to hear from him soon; generally, he comm'd her the first moment he was able once the skirmish was over so that she would know he was safe.

However, he hadn't done so today – or yesterday – but she tried not to worry. Sometimes the fighting lasted a few hours, sometimes a day or more. It was impossible to know for certain, so she'd resided herself to learning the art of waiting for news.

One deep breath, then another. Willing herself to drop into sleep never worked, so she tried to think of something else to distract her mind; Caith had sent some lovely finger-paintings that Iri had done for her, and she needed to transfer the images onto flimsies to hang in her office. Perhaps Rex would like one..she'd have to ask him. She hoped he'd say yes, as the walls of his office were so sparse and plain, and he spent so much time there...

The distraction nearly worked as she drifted off, until her attention was sharpened by a strong arm sliding around her waist; an instant later she heard Rex's inhale as he buried his face into her hair for a moment, then shifted so that he was pressed against her shoulder. His breath was warm – just like the rest of him – and she gave a happy sigh as she pushed herself closer to his chest.

"You're back," she whispered, reaching her arm up to rest over his as it encircled her torso, because even after she heard his voice again, he was never quite real until she was touching him.

There was no reply for a moment, then she felt rather than heard him speak, his lips pressed to her shoulder-blade as he shifted just a little bit. "Silver didn't make it."

Silence, then another inhale against her back, as if he was breathing in her scent. As best she could, given his closeness and his arm around her body, Brenna turned to face him, slipping her arm around his upper torso and embracing him with all the strength she could muster. It wasn't much, but it was all she could do. She whispered his name.

Now that she was facing him, they were so close that their breath mingled in the darkness between them, and his grip on her tightened. Pressed to her as he was, she could feel the rapid cadence of his heart, as well as outlines of the ubiquitous scars along his chest and stomach, evidence of countless battles. Aside from the whisper of his breath he made no sound, so Brenna tilted her head up so that she could kiss his cheek.

There was a pause, then she felt him take another shuddering breath before his entire body seemed to sink in her arms. Rex remained silent, but his heartbeat steadied, then slowed to a more even pace.

Once she was certain he was asleep, Brenna found that she was able to follow.

* * *

When Rex awoke the next morning he was both comfortable and warm, neither of which was expected, and for a moment he had no idea where he was. But it was a fleeting feeling, dissipating the moment that Bren shifted. The touch of her skin brought him back to reality, and by the time he decided to open his eyes it was so that he could look at her.

Apparently he'd woken first. Her eyes were closed, her mouth was slightly open and she was facing him on the pillow they were sharing. There wasn't much room on her bunk, so she was close enough for him to feel the exhalation of her breath against his cheek; each inhale brought him the delicious scent of her soap, her shampoo, and whatever else it was about her that he would know anywhere. A brief glance up and around told him that they were alone in the cabin. He hadn't bothered to see if her roommate was in or not when he'd made his impromptu visit the night before, but he'd lucked out.

Bren's hair was tangled, spilling around her neck and resting gently against the pillow. With as careful a motion as he could manage, he reached up and tried to brush it off of her skin, all while savoring the feel of it, of her, beneath his hands. Sometimes it still amazed him that he could touch her in this way, that it was allowed, and that it was something that she desired, too.

But it was more than that, he thought. Right now, he was at peace. Silver's death was still there, following him while remaining in the shadows of his mind, but it was...

He frowned. It wasn't _better_, but it was easier to bear with her beside him.

When her eyes opened, he gave her a half-smile that was a little apologetic because he's woken her. "'Morning."

"It wasn't a dream," she said, blinking a few times. A slow, drowsy smile spread across her face. "I'm always afraid you're going to be a dream."

"I'm quite real," he assured her. "I can prove it, if you like."

She gave a chuckle which merged into a yawn, then lifted into a laugh when he dropped a kiss against her neck. They dallied for a few minutes before she blinked up at him again. "What time is it? My alarm hasn't gone off..."

Last night he'd shed his armor on the floor beside her bed with hardly a thought; when he reached for his chrono, his stomach did a flip and he uttered a choice phrase of Mando'a after he told her the time, adding: "We're both running late, aren't we?"

The hazy pleasure faded and they each looked at each other for a beat, then the flurry began. Initially, the only sounds were the snapping of plastoid pieces and the rustle of clothing, but after a few minutes, as she was brushing out her hair and he was seated on the bunk getting his boots on, she looked at him again. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Her voice was tentative, as if she was uncertain how the question would be received, and he wondered at the fact. "It should be pretty quiet," he replied as he secured his boots. "Usually is, the day after a battle. I like to to give the boys an easy time if I can, but I have a stack of duty-rosters to catch up on."

Even though he added a smile at the end of his words, she still looked like something was bothering her. All of a sudden, Rex felt a shot of apprehension in his chest. Last night had been the first time that he'd come into her room without express permission, lock-code or not, and he wondered if he'd unknowingly overstepped some boundary. He'd been distraught – there was no other word for it – and had simply sought the warm comfort of her arms, but perhaps he should have comm'd her first, given her some warning...

"Bren, about last night..."

She'd finished brushing her hair and was in the process of slipping on her shoes, one hand bracing herself against the bulkhead. At his words she paused and looked at him again, one shoe in her hand, one on her foot. He swallowed and continued. "I didn't mean to...intrude, if I did. I just...I needed..."

His words trailed off, replaced by a frown as he tried to figure out how to voice his how he'd felt in those dark hours.

But in her fashion, she seemed to know. "I'm glad you came here, Rex. You're welcome with me, anytime." She toyed with her shoe for a moment, as if oblivious to the way that his heart had picked up at her words. "I want to make sure that's clear," she added, glancing away, then back at him again.

For a beat he didn't speak, then he nodded. "It is." They only looked at each other for a moment, then he cleared his throat. "What about you? Any exciting new Seppie codes to slice today?"

"Always," she replied with a smile. "But today should also be fun...we have a lifeday party, too."

"A lifeday party?"

Both of her shoes were on now and he knew that it was time to go, but couldn't bring himself to move just yet. She seemed to feel the same way, for she came to stand before him and skimmed her hand through his hair as she explained. "It's one of my co-worker's lifeday; everyone chipped in to get him a nice cake, and a card was passed around for us all to sign. Nothing major, but it's a nice thing to do."

It had been a long time since he'd eaten, and Rex winced as his stomach gave an involuntary gurgle at the mention of 'cake.' He thought that she noticed, for her lips tightened as though she was fighting back a laugh, and he sighed, stood up. "It sounds nice."

"It's silly, I know," she replied with a rapid shake of her head. "Especially when you and your brothers are fighting so hard for us all...I feel bad for going on about cake and parties after you-"

Her jaw snapped shut and her eyes flickered away from his, and he knew at once what she'd been about to say. "After I lost a brother."

Bren nodded as she looked back his way. "Yes."

He was probably all kinds of late by now, but he didn't mind so much. Rex got to his feet, embraced her and kissed her mouth, lighter than he would have preferred, but hard enough to let her know he wasn't upset or bothered by anything she'd said. Or not said.

Rather, he was touched beyond measure at her compassion and her concern, both of which – while not unfamiliar to him – were somehow magnified because of how he'd come to her last night. He'd been wounded with grief, vulnerable and battle-weary, and she'd provided a shelter from the onslaught of despair that would have otherwise consumed him until he'd managed to push it away long enough to keep moving.

But pushing it away, as he'd learned, didn't negate the grief or banish the despair. Those things clung well enough on their own, but it was easier to face them knowing that he had a place of solace.

So when he pulled back, he tilted her chin up to him and spoke so that they were only a breath away from each other. Her face filled his entire field of vision, and again he relished the closeness. "Hey, Bren?"

"Rex?"

He smiled because he couldn't help it. "I'm so lucky to have found you."

She blinked rapidly a few times as if in confusion, while her eyes grew bright with unshed tears and she beamed up at him; he had no clue what to make of the contrasting expressions, but it didn't matter so much when she replied.

"Me too."

* * *

As he'd told her, Rex liked to give his men an easy time of it the day after a rough battle, so after he'd left Bren's cabin, he'd gone to the barracks, where most of his men were still in the process of waking up and prepping for a day of light training and bridge rotations.

As Rex strode through the entrance to the billet he was approached by Coric, datapad in hand. Before Coric could announce the captain's presence and cause the troopers to snap to attention, Rex shook his head to indicate that such a thing wasn't necessary at the moment. Instead, he took in their numbers and realized that he hadn't been _quite _as late as he'd thought, which was heartening.

Pausing by the entrance, he cast the senior medic a nod. "'Morning, Coric."

"'Morning, sir," the sergeant replied as he met Rex, his free hand lifting into a salute. "If you've a moment, I've got a few things to run by you."

Rex nodded, and Coric glanced down at his 'pad. "Viv, Doubletake, and Keen have requested to begin walker training, while Faze asked to be taken off of today's bridge-rotation and given double shifts with the quartermaster."

"He likes organizing, does he?"

Coric gave a chuckle. "Apparently so. I imagine Ret will be pleased to have some help. Anyway, Thrash and Imp got into a tussle last night – Jesse broke it up before it got too serious, but I thought you'd like to know."

Since he hadn't taken a shower at Bren's, Rex decided that he should rectify that, now. As he reached his bunk and began to remove his armor, he frowned in thought. "Did Jesse find out what it was about?"

"Neither of them were very forthcoming, but it's happened before with these two. Imp's got a short fuse and Thrash can be a bit..."

"Combative," Rex finished, stepping out of his boots. "Yeah, I've noticed that as well, but that's no excuse for fighting of that kind. I think that means that they just volunteered for extra mess-hall duty – together. I want them to learn to work out their issues without resorting to beating each other to a pulp. There's a time and a place for that."

Nodding, the sergeant glanced down at his datapad again, a faint frown creasing his face. "Turns out that Slammer and Glitch each have a sprained ankle; I suggest they stay out of the drill schedules for the next few days."

"Sounds reasonable."

Coric paused, then met Rex's eyes. "Early this morning, Appo took that batch of Spaartis that arrived last week out for drills."

"I'll admit, they probably need the extra training," Rex replied, glancing around the barracks again. "But the rest of you are going to take it easy today if I have anything to say about it."

There were a few men still about, engaged in conversation or weapons-maintenance; despite the fact that he'd indicated that none of them need stand at attention right now, he noticed that more than one soldier gave him a swift salute when he caught their eye, indicating their respect. That was also heartening.

The pitch of Coric's voice dropped when he spoke next. "Word is that Appo's taking over the bulk of the Spaartis' training. Did you know about that?"

Rex frowned as he studied the sergeant. "No one's mentioned it to me. How do you know?"

"Overheard some of the new recruits talking about it."

It was unsettling to have to hear about such a thing through what was essentially a rumor-mill, but Rex had seen that Skywalker seemed to be more and more distracted lately; perhaps he'd forgotten to mention it. He'd have to ask, later.

As he began to move towards the showers, Coric continued. "Chopper's been doing very well with the supplementary medic training; I think I'd like to have him assigned to me on a more regular basis."

Rex nodded. "Of course – glad to hear it." He paused, then shot Coric a look, as he'd noticed the other man regarding him with a curious expression. "Something else?"

There was a pause, then the medic cleared his throat, anxiety clearly written across his face. They were well out of an earshot from the others, so when Coric spoke, only Rex could hear. "Sir...with Silver gone, and Slammer and Glitch out of commission...our veterans are down to about thirty percent of the full company."

The words made Rex give a heavy sigh, and as he nodded, he rubbed at his forehead. Some of his good mood faded with the truth of what Coric had said, but he also knew that he would be able to handle the situation. The warmth he'd felt in Bren's arms remained within his heart. "I know. But we've faced odds like this before and come through."

Rex met the sergeant's eyes and the word went unspoken between them: _Teth. _

"No other option but to keep going, Coric," he added, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Right?"

Another moment of silence, during which he watched some of the worry fade from his brother's gaze. Finally Coric nodded, slow but steady. "We'll persevere."

"Together, we will," Rex replied as he stepped into the showers. "_Vode an_."

It only took him a few minutes to get clean, but when he emerged the barracks were empty. Once he was back in his armor, he began to make his way towards his office, thinking of comm'ing Bren just to hear her voice, when he was halted by the sound of his name.

"Rexter! There you are!"

Ahsoka came bounding down the corridor, her expression radiating concern; as she met him before the door to his office, he noted that she had a bandage around her arm where she'd sustained her injury on Bellassa, but that otherwise she appeared to be intact.

As she met him, he gave her a nod. "How's the arm?"

She rolled her eyes at his words. "Kix says I should be healed in a few days. But how are _you?_" Her blue eyes were wide and fixed on his, and he realized how worried she was. For him. As he opened his mouth to reply, she added: "No matter what you said, I could tell that you weren't okay yesterday. I wanted to..."

He couldn't help but smile at her. "Check on me?"

"Yeah," she replied, returning his smile. "So...?"

"I'm fine," he said, faintly amused as she gave an exasperated sigh. Brenna had done the exact same thing on more than one occasion; he hadn't realized that it was something he said _that much_, but perhaps he did. Anyway, neither Bren nor Ahsoka seemed to care for the word, but only when he said it.

Indeed, Ahsoka mock-glared at him in the next moment. "Rexter..."

"No," he said, shaking his head and giving her an earnest look. "I really am, Ahsoka. But thank you for checking on me."

He turned to the door, then paused again and glanced her way. "Is it true that Appo's been placed in charge of the Spaartis' training?"

Ahsoka's eyes widened just a little bit, but she nodded after a beat. Rex studied her before he spoke. "Why?"

"He requested it," she replied. There was another beat of silence before she added: "There are so many of them...Master thought that it made sense that they should have someone working with them so closely, and you already have the rest of Torrent to worry about, not to mention all the special missions that we take you on." He said nothing, and her face fell a little bit. "Rex...it's not a slight against you, I promise. Master said that he even spoke with the Chancellor about it, and that he agreed that this was the best option."

She was concerned that she'd offended him; he could read her expressions like a holo-novel, so he gave her another faint smile. "Understood, Ahsoka. It's alright."

With that, he palmed the door to his office open; however, her hand on his arm halted him in his tracks. "Rex, I'm sorry about Silver."

His entire body grew still at the name, and for a moment he was transported back to Bellassa, back to Silver's last moments before the droids overran the sergeant's position. Rex himself had been surrounded and unable to do much more than listen as another of the men he'd known since the early days of the war met his end.

Again, the pain of his brother's loss struck him, but a deep inhale and exhale allowed the feeling to wash through his body, through his mind and heart.

But there was nothing to do but keep going.

"Me too," he said after a pause, meeting Ahsoka's eyes right before he stepped across the threshold.

Her gaze was still disbelieving but her words indicated that she was trying to change that as she followed him inside the little room. "I was worried for you."

"Don't be."

She sighed and shook her head in a manner that suggested she _still _didn't believe him; a beat later, he watched as her eyes fell on something in his office. "What's that?"

When Rex turned, it was to see a small, white plastifoam container resting on his desk. When he stepped forward to open it, he felt a smile spread across his face; within was a slice of cake, chocolate-flavored and thickly frosted, with a sugar-rose in one corner and half of the letter 'L' in another.

"Is that a piece of lifeday cake?" Ahsoka's voice was filled with surprise.

Rather than respond immediately, Rex fingered the container's edges, thinking of the woman who must have left left it for him while he was in the barracks. Again, his memory was cast back to the previous night, and he was filled with that strange, swelling mixture of gratitude and affection for Bren. Even as he was still saddened by the loss of a good man, Rex was also struck with a sense of happiness, because she cared about him enough to do something like this, silly and small as it would seem to an outsider.

"Wow."

The quiet tone of Ahsoka's voice brought him out of his thoughts. When Rex looked up at the Padawan, he watched as a pleased sort of smile came over her face, and she shook her head as if in wonder. "What?"

Ahsoka beamed at him. "You really are okay, aren't you?"

He glanced back down at the cake, thinking that it looked delicious and imagining all the ways he'd thank Bren, later on. Suddenly he couldn't wait to see her again. "Yeah," he replied with a chuckle as he looked at his friend. "I guess I am."

* * *

_Sergeant Silver is/was an OC clone of mine; his name has been sprinkled throughout, so hopefully he's at least peripherally familiar. I imagine that Rex takes the deaths of all of his men hard, but my idea was that Silver has been around since right after Teth, so Rex knew him better than some of the newer guys._

_On a similar note, most of the clones you don't recognize are OCs, save "Ret," who belongs to _**Jade-Max_. _**

_It was tricky to balance Rex's emotions in the last scene, as I didn't want to downplay his reaction to Silver's death, but I also wanted to show the positive effect that Brenna is having on him. Please let me know what you think. :)  
_

_Just like I made the choice to not include Fives' POV in order to keep the focus primarily on Rex and Brenna, I chose not to go into Ahsoka's perspective. In my mind, in this fic, (one and the same, I guess :P), she cares for Rex as a dear friend, and is happy to know that he's happy. _

_As always, thank you for reading!  
_

_Next time: who's up for a round of sabacc?_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

_Three weeks later..._

Brenna bit back a smile as Rex eyed the cup of caf she'd brought him with appreciation. "This is really good...nice and sweet." He glanced her way and tilted the cup alongside his forehead in a mock-salute. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she replied, sipping from her own cup as she leaned against the edge of his desk. He'd been seated when she'd come in several minutes ago; naturally he'd risen and offered her his chair, but she'd refused. Having slipped away from her own office to visit him for a few minutes, she relished a chance to be on her feet for a little bit.

Since Rex and Torrent Company had been on a flurry of missions and Brenna had been overloaded with work, it had been well over a week since they'd had a chance to spend any time just the two of them. While she thought that they each would have preferred a more comfortable place to interact than his office, her own cabin was occupied at the moment and it wasn't fair to expect Marliss to vacate the room whenever Rex and Brenna found a spare second to be together.

But in all honesty, she was just happy to know that he was alive and be able to spend time with him, so she thought that it wouldn't matter _where _they were, so long as they were together. The caf had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, and she'd remembered from her experience with Tucker that most clones preferred a good bit of sugar in the drink. In that regard, at least, Rex was no different than the others.

The thought of Iri's father reminded her – as if she needed reminding – that there were a number of things she wanted to discuss with Rex, but so far she'd been unable to sully the first moment they'd found to be together in far too long. Additionally, she'd experienced firsthand how quickly he could go from relaxing with her to being called to fight, and in the back of her mind she was aware that each moment with Rex could very well be the last, should he fall in the next battle.

"It's been a while since we've been able to be alone, hasn't it?" she said as he smoothed back an errant strand of her hair with his free hand.

"I've missed you," he replied with a half-smile down at her. "But if it meant I got to spend time with you, I'd do so pretty much anywhere."

She couldn't resist the opening. "Anywhere? Even in the middle of an ocean? On Hoth? What about Mustafar...all that lava?"

Rex shook his head and held her eyes. "Anywhere."

Following that, he took another swig of his drink, set the cup down on the desk, then reached for her own cup; he set it beside his own and skimmed his hand along her cheek, drawing her closer to him before he kissed her quite soundly.

For the duration of the kiss she forgot all other things except the feel of his embrace and his mouth on hers. There was no desperation as there had been in the past; instead, he kissed her with a kind of elation that contradicted his normally composed and reserved attitude. She was learning that with Rex, his actions, not his words, were paramount.

It was one of the things about him that she loved.

They parted after several minutes; she noted that his face was flushed and his pupils were dilated with arousal for all that he seemed to gather his composure as he reached for their individual cups, handing hers over first before collecting his own.

As he did so, he shot her a careful look. "Since I have you here, I'd like to run something by you, if that's alright."

"Shoot." At his frown of confusion, she smiled and made a motion with her hand for him to continue.

Rex took another sip of his drink, then regarded her as he spoke. "Do you know how to play sabacc?" At her nod, he continued. "I've been thinking...I'd like to spend time with you and with some of my brothers as well; we're all fans of the game. Would you like to join us sometime?"

"That would be nice," she replied at once, silently pleased. To her way of thinking, this was a natural progression in their relationship, the 'meeting of the friends,' but she knew that there was more to such an interaction when it came to Rex and his men. Generally, the clones were closer to one another than to outsiders, but there was still a degree of separation between an officer and his subordinates, so she understood that it was a big step for Rex to want to 'publicize' his relationship with her in front of his brothers.

"I'd like to get to know them better," she added, watching as his eyes lit up with excitement. "I only know Fives and Kix right now. And Jesse, but only a little."

At her words, Rex nodded, but after a beat passed and he said nothing, she could tell that he was hesitant about something else. She lifted her brow at him and he cleared his throat. "What about your roommate? Do you think Marliss would be interested in joining us as well?"

He seemed a little embarrassed to be asking her about another woman, but she thought she knew why. "Has Jesse been asking about her?"

Rex paused. "Actually, Fives mentioned her to me several weeks ago."

At this, Brenna shrugged; she remembered Marliss' comment about giving Jesse another chance, but decided to mention the ARC trooper to her, just in case. Either way, it was probably best to let the three of them sort it out. "I think she'd be interested in a friendly game. We should have it on the observation deck...I guess the tricky thing will be finding a time when everyone's free."

"Already thought of that," he replied at once, sipping his caf again. "Tomorrow evening works for all of us – unless something drastic happens, that is."

Brenna considered, then nodded again. "I think she's free then as well. I know I am." It wasn't exactly true, as she'd have to shift around some of her work time, but she knew it wouldn't be an issue, and he looked positively delighted for a moment before the expression slid back into his customary solemn one.

"Good," he said with a swift nod that was all business, though his happiness at her answer was revealed when he beamed at her. "I'll let the others know."

* * *

The following evening, Brenna found herself in the observation deck with Rex once more, but this time they were not alone. When she and Marliss arrived, Rex, Fives, Kix, Tup and Jesse were already seated around one of the tables in the center of the room, dressed in their off-duty fatigues with a deck of sabacc cards between them on the table's surface. The moment that Rex saw her, he rose and crossed the room, taking Brenna's hand and giving her a kiss on her cheek before they headed back to the others for introductions.

As Rex introduced her to Tup, the only clone she hadn't formally met, Brenna noted the flush of the younger clone's cheeks and the nervous way his eyes shifted from side to side; she'd wondered if he'd ever spoken to a female before. Aside from Padawan Tano, Brenna figured that most of the clones of the 501st had not interacted with many females, if any at all. The other clones were cordial, but she could see that they each seemed to preen a little bit at the new additions, especially when Marliss offered each man a friendly smile as she slid into an empty seat between Brenna and the furiously blushing Tup.

"What are we playing for?" Kix asked, glancing around.

As he started to deal the cards, Jesse shot Marliss a friendly smile. "Rather than have a sabacc pot, we normally just bet chores or something, though that might not work in this case."

"Unless you want to clean some kits," Fives added with a laugh.

Marliss accepted her cards, but didn't look at them as she replied. "Only if I lose, Fives. Besides," she added with a glance at Brenna. "We took care of that part."

There was a faint, teasing edge to her voice that made Fives' brow lift; as the lone "unattached" female of the group, Marliss was likely to garner a bit of interest, or so Rex had mentioned to them both prior to their arrival. Brenna's roommate, however, had seemed unperturbed at the possibility of four grown men simultaneously hitting on her, and had said that she was capable of handling herself.

Brenna reached for the bag that she'd brought, which contained a rather hefty assortment of junk food from her and Marliss' stash. As she began doling it among the clones, she had to smile at their exclamations of surprise, any and all awkwardness forgotten in the wake of the unexpected snacks.

"Good idea," Rex murmured beside her; glancing over, she saw that he was studying her with appreciation, and her smile widened.

"Mar may not mind, but I'd rather not clean anyone's kits if I can help it," she replied, which sent a ripple of laughter around the table. The game began. While Brenna didn't fancy herself a keen sabacc player, she enjoyed the camaraderie and banter between the clones enough to not really care so much about winning.

Which turned out to be a good thing, as they were extraordinarily competitive.

"Read 'em and weep, troopers," Fives crowed as he slapped down his cards. "Check out that spread..."

From what she could tell he had a good hand, enough to make Jesse and Kix groan aloud, and cause Rex to frown at his own cards. Brenna's hand wasn't even close, but a glance at Marliss revealed that her roommate was pleased about something but was trying to keep a straight face. However, as Fives leaned forward to collect his winnings, stacked in the center of the table, the blonde woman cleared her throat.

"Is that a _pure_ sabacc?" the ARC trooper said, staring at the cards Marliss had laid on the table.

"It is," she replied in a sweet voice as Fives' mouth fell open and the others began to snicker. "How thoughtful of you to collect all of the winnings for me."

"It's the ARC trooper training," Jesse replied, outright snorting with laughter at Fives' bewilderment. "Makes him _extra_ considerate."

As she collected her winnings, Marliss shot Fives a wide smile that was belied by her next words. "If only you'd had the Idiot's Array, you would have beaten me."

"Next time," Fives replied with a nod, though there was a gleam of appreciation in the ARC trooper's eyes when he studied Brenna's roommate. The blonde woman seemed to take no notice of the fact, instead collecting the others' cards and organizing them to be shuffled for the next round.

Several minutes later, after the next hand had begun, Rex cast Fives a look. "Speaking of ARC trooper training...how much longer are you going to be with us this time around?"

The ARC exhaled at the cards in his hand. "Another week, at the most, then I'm to head to the core for some kind of spec-ops brouhaha with a bunch of different troopers – Nulls, commandos...all sorts."

"Nulls?" Tup asked, his eyes wide. "The crazy, out-of-control clones?"

"They're good to have on your side in a tough spot," Fives replied with a shrug. "A bit odd, before you get used to them, but much less tightly wound than the RCs."

The mention of commandos sent a flare of warning through Brenna, but she pushed it aside. It was a large army, after all, and it was very likely that Tucker had been moved into another squad by now; there was no reason to feel apprehension at all. Beside her, she thought that Rex caught on to her bout of nerves, for he cast her a glance, but she met his eyes and gave a faint smile to show that she was alright. He nodded once, almost imperceptibly, then looked back at his cards.

Heedless of the silent interaction, Fives had continued speaking. "No, Tup, the Nulls aren't defective. Not like those kriffing Spaarti clones, that's for sure."

At these words, the soldiers give a collective wince, which caused Marliss to frown and glance between them. "What's a Spaarti clone?"

"The new guys that command keep shipping in," Fives explained to her. "They were created with a different method than we were – same genetic template, though."

"Grown – and trained – within a year," Brenna added, shaking her head. "It's...unusual, so I understand."

Jesse wrinkled his nose as if in distaste. "It's kriffing insane."

"And it doesn't seem to work...well," Tup said with a frown, making the others give grim nods. Beside her, Brenna could see that Rex's frown was deep, and he shifted in his chair, as if he were supremely uncomfortable with the direction that the conversation had taken.

Marliss looked back at Fives. "I still don't understand."

"On Kamino, our training took _ten_ years," Fives replied. "Ten years of flash-training, ten years of growing, drilling and weapons training, among a whole host of other things, and while it's not a huge lifespan by any means, it's certainly more effective than doing all of that within _one _puny year."

"And that one year _includes_ growing them," Tup added, sitting up in his chair. "And there are so many of them...it seems like for every Spaarti clone that we lose in combat, three more step in to fill his place. It's...unnatural."

Rex cleared his throat. "Be that as it may, we're all on the same side," he said, a note of finality in his voice. "We're all brothers, and we need to set aside our differences to work together."

Everyone was quiet for a few minutes before Kix glanced up, which caused the others to look his way; Brenna noted that the medic seemed to retain a quiet sense of command on his own, even without an official "rank," such as Rex carried. "That's true, Captain," he said in a calm voice. "But from a medical standpoint...well..." His brows knitted. "They're not quite as _sound_ as we are. Mentally, I mean."

"Are you saying they're...crazy?" Tup asked with round eyes. Rex had grown very still at these words, giving Brenna the sense that he was listening closely.

Kix frowned. "No...they're just more...intellectually fragile. They don't process things the same way as we do. They don't _learn_ the same way. Maybe it has to do with the way they're trained," he added with a shrug. "I've just noticed, with the ones that make it back from combat, that they don't seem to exhibit the same things that the Kamino-bred guys do."

There was another bout of silence where everyone seemed to study their cards without really seeing them. After a few moments, Rex cleared his throat and cast Kix a look that suggested he was working hard to keep his voice neutral. "What do you mean?"

The medic exhaled through his nose and furrowed his brows. "Normally, when a shiny comes back from an intense battle with lots of casualties – like Teth, or that recent business on Halmad – there's a period of time afterward where he...retreats into himself. It's common and expected, and eventually he'll come out of it. You all remember the feeling, I think."

A round of nods went around the table and Kix continued. "But the Spaarti clones...well, it's like they don't show any reaction at all. Like they didn't even notice that they were in a battle in the first place. And it's the same with every batch I've seen come through since that first one."

Silence. Brenna watched as each man seemed to mull over the words; beside her, Rex remained almost frozen in his seat and his eyes were fixed on the cards in his hands. She could tell that he was still trying to keep his expression unaffected, so she placed her palm on his knee and offered him a warm look when he glanced her way. After a moment, she watched the set of his shoulders relax just a bit.

Suddenly, Marliss glanced beside her, where Fives was apparently trying to sneak a look at her cards. "Watch it, ARC-boy."

Despite her curt tone there was a faint smile on her face, and Brenna watched as Fives grinned in return, waggling his brow at the blonde woman. "Oh, I intend to."

* * *

After a number of hands the hour was pushing towards midnight, but Rex thought that no one seemed to want the night to end. Brenna had long since tired of the game and had volunteered to "guard" the sabacc pot, which meant that all of the snacks that had not been won were resting before her while the others battled it out.

Rex could tell that her eyes felt heavy, as they were drooping closed, and out of the corner of his eye he watched as she fought back a yawn. Despite his own desire to stay he had no wish to keep her if she needed rest, so while Jesse and Fives were arguing about the latter's current hand, he leaned over and spoke softly into her ear. "Ready to call it a night?"

"Mmm...? No, I'm good," she replied as she sat up suddenly, blinking hard a few times when she looked his way.

Rex chuckled, then edged his chair closer to hers; he gently guided her down so that her cheek was resting on his own shoulder. There was a moment of tension in her body before she relaxed and settled against him with a sigh. This close, he could smell the scent of her hair and the press of her cheek against him was comforting.

The idea flitted through his mind that he could remain like this for a good while – forever, maybe, or as long as he was around – but he automatically pushed it aside, as he did with most thoughts about his own future, uncertain as it was.

Still, he did wish he had _something _else to offer her besides his shoulder.

Glancing down, he noted that she'd wrapped her sweater tightly around her torso as if she were cold, so he slid his arm further around her and rubbed against the sleeve of the knitted material, hoping to warm her a bit. Indeed, she gave a soft murmur of approval and shifted even closer to him as a result.

"Don't bother him, Tup," Fives said suddenly. "The captain's in another world altogether." His brother's voice made Rex look up, only to watch the ARC trooper shoot a toothy grin his way. Tup had a look on his face that indicated he'd been about to try and get Rex's attention; at the ARC's words, the younger clone smirked down at his cards.

"It was probably for the best that you stopped playing," Jesse added, tilting his chin at Rex's cards, which were resting face-up on the table as if he'd forgotten about them entirely. "That's a losing hand if ever I saw one."

Kix chuckled as well and indicated Marliss, seated on Brenna's other side. "She's just going to beat us all again, anyway."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Fives grumbled.

"You may as well accept the inevitable," Marliss said, shooting the ARC a knowing look. "Special training or not...you're kriffing terrible at this game."

"Am not." Fives had the expression of someone trying to frown, but Rex could see that he was inwardly preening at the attention, and he sighed to himself. As if Fives – or any ARC trooper, for that matter – needed _that _kind of ego boost. When Fives spoke again, there was an mock-accusatory tone to his words. "You're...using your wiles, making the rest of us forget ourselves."

Marliss arched her eyebrow. "My _wiles_?"

Everyone looked at Fives, waiting for an explanation, and the ARC trooper suddenly seemed supremely uncomfortable as he shifted in his seat and fidgeted with his cards. "You know...your feminine charms. We clones are powerless against them."

Tup and Jesse snorted with laughter, Kix coughed into his hand, and Rex sighed as he shook his head. Marliss, however, was regarding Fives with an unnervingly unreadable expression. "You're something else, you know that?"

"Glad you noticed," Fives replied, all traces of discomfort forgotten as he lifted his brow at the blonde woman. "I was beginning to think you found me annoying."

The sound of Brenna's voice made everyone turn; Rex felt her head lift from his shoulder as she spoke, and when he glanced her way, he saw that she had marks on her cheek from where she'd lain against the fabric of his shirt. "Who would ever think _that_, Fives?"

"I can't well imagine," Rex added. The others burst into laughter and Fives gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes; as she rested her head back on his shoulder, Rex felt rather than heard Brenna's chuckle, which – as it turned out – was the thing that made his own smile broaden.

* * *

_Anyone catch the _Firefly_ reference? ;)_

_A bit of flirting between Fives and Marliss...always fun. If you like them together, then you're in luck. _

_Next time: Rex has a surprise for Bren! (Hint: it's _not_ naughty, unfortunately)_

_Thank you so much for reading. :D  
_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

_Two weeks later..._

As much as Rex enjoyed spending the night with Brenna, there were usually a number of obstacles that prevented such a thing; on this particular evening, it was Marliss' imminent return from her shift rotation. Far sooner than he would have liked, Rex found himself kissing the brown-haired woman goodbye at her door, trying not to linger too long.

It was difficult.

Finally they parted and she gave him a look that was edged with regret, which he figured was mirrored in his own eyes. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely...matter-of-fact, I have a surprise for you," he added before bending his head to kiss her again. When he was able to pull himself away, he gave her a half-smile that he knew she would appreciate. "And don't ask what, because I won't tell you, now."

The way she laughed indicated that she'd been about to ask him just that. "Okay, Captain," she said with a sigh. "Sweet dreams, then."

"They will be," he replied, feeling a thrill of satisfaction as she flushed under his gaze. Flirting was not something he ever thought he'd be good at; as it turned out he was a natural. Another kiss on her cheek, then he turned away from her and began to make his way down the corridor that led from her cabin, which had become quite familiar by now.

Actually the entire rhythm of his and Brenna's relationship had become natural; when he wasn't needed elsewhere he was able to spend time with her, even if it was only in the observation room or a brief meeting anywhere they could, for as long as they could. The pattern of his life, while never boring, had suddenly become agreeably familiar.

If he hadn't been a soldier fighting in an increasingly desperate war, life would have been about as close to perfect as he'd ever considered it could be.

The War. It dogged his steps, closer than any shadow, and the thought of the fighting turned his mood dour. Although things had been on a fairly even keel since Halmad, with no other major battles taking place save for a few minor skirmishes that were easily manageable, every time that Rex drew his blasters, he couldn't stave off the doubts and questions that had never ceased to gnaw at him and had only become more insistent in recent months.

When Rex reached the barracks, he was greeted with a number of sounds he'd not heard in a long time, sounds that made him frown and give a deep inhale as he squared his shoulders before entering the room. The moment he slipped within the rows of bunks, his eyes fell on a group of troopers in the far corner, armored and not, standing in a loose circular formation and letting out a selection of jeers, yells and "atta-boys." As he crossed the room, Rex's pace was swift; he couldn't see who was fighting whom, but a moment later he heard...

"Good one, Tup!"

With a grimace that he immediately forced back behind a veneer of calm, Rex approached the disorderly group and barked out his words with every bit of authority he could muster. "Stand down, troopers!"

Instantly, every clone in the room quieted, and Rex elbowed his way through the ranks to the two men at the center of the group who had broken apart but were still facing one another, crouched low and breathing heavily with anger in their eyes.

The moment that Tup's gaze fell on Rex, a look of chagrin swept over the younger man and he straightened into a formal posture. As for the Spaarti clone – Four Four, if Rex remembered, the fellow from the first batch of Spaartis that Ahsoka had 'named' – he shot Tup a final glare but saluted the officer, who stood between them for a moment, studying each man.

While it wasn't uncommon for clones to settle internal disputes with a one-on-one match of this kind, such things were usually done out in the open area of the training room and sanctioned with the presence of medics and commanding officers to ensure that nothing got out of hand.

What was happening here felt darker somehow and Rex felt the hairs on his nape rise with unease. This caused him to cast another glance around the room, and he noted the absence of his more experienced men: Jesse, Coric, Chopper and Kix among them. Actually, he realized that the group was made up of mostly the Spaarti clones, most of whom didn't – to his knowledge – even have names yet. He'd also noticed that none of them seemed inclined to change the fact.

When Rex felt certain that his voice wouldn't belie the anxiety he felt at seeing his men fight in this manner, he gave Tup and Four Four his sternest glare. "What in the void has gotten into you two? No," he added, raising his hand as Tup opened his mouth to speak. "It was a rhetorical question, Tup. You'll get a chance to speak your part...after I-"

"Captain Rex." Appo's voice slid ahead of the lieutenant as he entered the room, but Rex chose not to turn in acknowledgment. "Is there a problem, sir?"

"I've got it covered, Lieutenant," Rex replied as the other trooper came to stand beside him. He gave Tup another glare, and the younger man's eyes dropped. "Fighting of this kind is inexcusable," Rex said, looking between Tup and Four Four, the latter of whom remained expressionless. "We're all on the same side; there's enough out there trying to kill you without you taking up arms against your own brother when we're on the ship."

He paused, letting the words sink in. Tup's expression remained one of chagrin, but Four Four still seemed untouched. Finally, Rex sighed. "If there was an issue you wanted to settle, why didn't you call for a one-on-one?"

Tup scowled, an expression that had become more and more common of late. "Sir...he said that we were traitors for killing a Jedi on Umbara."

Around them the others shifted. Fighting back his own surge of ire at the words, Rex noted that the Spaarti clones' faces seemed universally righteous, while the few of his older men who were present looked about as insulted and angry as he'd seen them recently. When Rex turned his attention back to Four Four, the Spaarti clone did not meet his eyes. "Is this true?"

Four Four lifted his chin as if with pride, but said nothing.

"He's just a shiny, Captain," Appo said suddenly, stepping between Rex and Four Four, lifting his hands as if to quell any agitation. "He obviously doesn't have all the facts. Besides, sir, Tup here should have known better and kept his cool."

The lieutenant punctuated the words with a sweep of his eyes over Tup, the look in his eyes somehow accusatory without being overtly so. Circled as they were around Rex and Tup, the Spaarti clones seemed to be closing in on the other troopers for one moment as they gave swift nods of assent, and the captain felt something uncomfortably like a warning twist in his gut.

But he'd be damned if he'd let Appo's words be the last. "Rest assured, Lieutenant," he said, emphasizing the title just enough. "Both Tup and Four Four will be dealt with accordingly. Three days of extra drills, and I want every inch of this billet spotless by noon tomorrow. Is that understood?"

Tup gave a crisp salute.

The other trooper inclined his head towards Appo, a look of mild confusion on his face. In response, Appo shook his head. "Sir, his designation is CT-95-3744. 'Four Four' means nothing to him."

There was a note of irritation in Appo's tone that was unsettling to Rex, but what caused him to blink in surprise was the fact that the Spaarti clone had turned away the simple nickname that Ahsoka had so freely offered. In all his days, he'd never seen another clone refuse to accept something that should have been an honor. He could see that Tup was startled as well but he refused to even glance around the room to see if any of his other men were reacting in a similar manner.

Rex only allowed his surprise to register for an instant. He nodded to Four Four – who would remain so in his mind, _not_ "CT-95-3744" – and ignored Appo before turning his eyes to the rest of the gathered troopers. "Dismissed."

At the curt word, they began to disperse, but the feeling of division lingered.

* * *

As Brenna watched Rex walk away from her, she spent a few moments speculating on what his 'surprise' could be; naturally, she had a few things in mind, but the smile he'd given her was not one of his teasing ones, but rather the kind that he got when he had something pleasant to share.

Anyway, she knew she'd find out soon enough, so she re-entered her cabin and headed for the 'fresher to get a shower in before Marliss returned from her shift. Once she'd finished, Brenna dressed in her sleep-clothes and settled onto her bed, pulling out her comlink as she did so. For a moment she stared at the small device, then gave a deep sigh as she entered the familiar code. She'd put this off for far too long.

"_Brenna?"_

When Jensine Damaris answered, it took Brenna a moment to reply. "Hi, Mom. How are you?"

There was a long pause, after which her mother spoke again. _"I'm well. How are you?"_

"Can't complain." Brenna winced at the mundane words, then took a breath and tried to push through the awkwardness. "How are the quagga? How's the foaling season going?"

"_It's going well enough,"_ her mother answered. _"The quagga are the same as they've always been; I'm sure you remember._"

Biting back a sigh, Brenna tried again. "Caith said that things are quiet out there. Has everything been okay? In the past, you've never had trouble with keeping good ranch-hands on through the season."

"_I'm perfectly capable of running things around here; you don't need to worry about me, Brenna,"_ Jensine replied in a curt tone. There was a pause, then to Brenna's surprise, her mother added:_ "But I appreciate your concern."_

The conversation continued in a similar fashion for a few more painful minutes, though at each awkward pause, Brenna strove to remind herself that it was a good thing that they were on speaking terms again. After one particularly long pause, Jensine cleared her throat and spoke, forming the words with great care. _"When you get back, I'd like to see you and Irini."_

It was an approximation of her earlier request, and Brenna thought that Jensine had repeated it in order to reiterate that she was still hoping for a reconciliation of a sort. Additionally, she recognized the faintest edge of nervousness to her mother's voice, as if she was afraid Brenna would say 'no.' The only reason she heard such a thing was due to the fact that she was growing used to listening for such minute changes in someone's pitch; it happened after spending so much time in the company of clones.

The realization that Jensine was nervous touched her, so she replied back as quickly as she could. "I think that'll work, Mom."

"_I want things to be different, Brenna,"_ Jensine said suddenly. _"I know that there have been...problems between us, but I want to change that. If you want to as well," _her mother added, almost as if what Brenna wanted was simply an afterthought, and Brenna tried not to feel annoyed that Jensine hadn't apologized for nearly disowning her daughter after Brenna had left home against her wishes. No, Jensine Damaris was not the most considerate woman, but she was _family, _after all, and Brenna thought again that it was best to try and move on from past hurt.

So she took another breath and imagined her daughter playing at her mother's house, nestled at the foot of Zephyr Mountain. Iri would probably _love_ the kriffing quagga, despite the fact that Brenna herself had never been overly fond of the equines. "I do want to."

Silence, followed by a noise that could have been a sigh of relief, after which her mother told her to take care of herself. Nothing other than those words was offered, but after the transmission ended, Brenna felt a little bit lighter.

However, her next thought caused the feeling to fade slightly; the coming reconciliation with her mother made her think that it was truly time to tell Rex about Iri's father being a clone. Things had to change, she right along with them, and she also thought that she had to move on from past hurt to truly be able to move forward. While she hoped that the truth of Iri's father wouldn't harm anything between them, she thought that Rex might read _something _into her reticence to tell him, something that would make him uneasy about her or their relationship.

The thought made _her _uneasy.

Rex was _not_ Tucker, or her first love Arcas; he was unlike any man she'd ever known, but she couldn't shake the anxiety that at any moment – at the slightest sign of trouble or the instant he tired of her – he'd want to bolt as well, just as the others had done. Until now, it was a risk she found she was unwilling to take.

But that too, had to change.

* * *

The next day, Rex met Brenna at her cabin earlier than he'd planned and dressed in his armor, both of which seemed to startle her; when she opened the door, he noted that her hair was uncombed and her feet were bare, and he had to chuckle at the way her eyes widened when she took sight of him. "Rex?"

Highly amused at her expression of surprise, he gave a swift nod. "Glad you remembered."

At her chuckle, he tilted his head to the side, indicating the corridor from which he'd come. "I know I'm early, but things were set into motion sooner than I thought they'd be. I guess you need a few more minutes, anyway."

"Depends," she replied, her voice wary. "What are we going to do?"

In response, he patted his DC-17s that were slung on his hips. Brenna gave him a look of confusion and he smiled. "Target practice."

"Rex..."

She didn't look pleased at all, but although he felt a flare of apprehension he pushed on. "Brenna...you live on a _war_ship," he said as he held her gaze. "If something unexpected were to happen, you'd be completely vulnerable. Remember Ithor?"

At her grimace he nodded again, though he felt his features softening as he looked at her. "It would make _me_ feel better if you had some idea of how to protect yourself with a blaster, should worse come to worse."

For a long moment he could see the debate in her eyes, and he watched as they slid to the blasters at his hips before turning back to his face.

"Okay," she said at last, a faint tremor in her voice. She also wore the expression of someone who was filled with self-doubt, and he had an urge to quell the feeling.

"I can't offer you much, Bren," he said suddenly, reaching for her hand. "But I can provide you with the means to keep yourself safe. It'll be fine," he added as she nodded again, a resigned look on her face. "I promise."

A quarter of an hour later, they were in the all-purpose training room aboard the _Resolute; _the low, wide space was able to be converted for a multitude of uses, from a makeshift shooting range to a simulated battlefield. To ensure that there would be no interruptions, Rex had reserved the room earlier; right now the two of them were alone.

After he set up the targets – starting her off at an easy five meters – he made his way back to the brown-haired woman and pulled one of his DC-17s free of its holster to explain the necessary components, such as the safety. As he did so, she eyed the blaster with trepidation, though she accepted it after a moment, keeping her hands well away from the trigger as she looked it over.

"It's on the lowest power setting, so even if the safety was off and you accidentally shot me, you wouldn't cause more damage than a bit of a burn," he said as he watched her study the weapon, noting that she was careful to hold the muzzle away from either of them. "On the highest setting, this'll cut right through a tinny – or armor, for that matter. I've made a few mods to amp up the firing rate, though they'll burn through power-packs a bit faster."

She looked up at him, her eyes falling on the ammo-pack on his chest. "That makes sense."

Rex nodded to the target, a large, rectangular panel of durasteel with a faint outline of a humanoid. "Care to give it a shot? No pun intended."

"Sure." She held up the blaster with her right hand and squinted towards the target, which made Rex want to chuckle. Despite the fact that he thought he did a fair job of withholding his amusement, she gave him a mock-glare. "If you brought me out here just to make fun..."

"Here," he said, stepping forward towards her. "Let me show you the best way to go about this." Standing close to her back, Rex wrapped his arms around her, taking her hands in his own so that he could position her fingers around the blaster, all while telling her in what he was doing as he did it and savoring the warmth of her body along his own "These are one-handed weapons, but since you're new to this and your hands are smaller than mine, I recommend supporting your trigger hand with the other."

With that, he wrapped the fingers of her right hand just behind the trigger, then cupped her left beneath the right, so that it was gripping tightly. "Good," he said into her ear, noting the faint inhale she gave at his breath against her skin. "Now, spread your legs a little bit and keep your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact. This thing _will_ pack a wallop when you fire."

As she did as he instructed, she exhaled again and flicked her eyes his way, an uncertain expression still on her face. "I feel...strange."

Rex gave her the most appraising look he could manage, given the fact that they were almost cheek-to-cheek. Brenna clutching one of his trusted blasters was an unusual sight; she looked completely out of her element, but he appreciated the fact that she was trying because she knew he wanted her to. While a part of him was loathe to think she'd ever need to use the weapon for any reason, it really did set him at ease – at least a little bit – to know that she was willing to learn, despite the fact that she was uncomfortable right now.

"You look very capable," he said at last, giving her hands a light squeeze with his own. "Just be sure you shoot the target and _not_ the handsome fellow in the armor."

"Then you should probably stand in front of it," she replied, looking ahead again and squinting towards the target as she aimed. "I'll be lucky if I can hit anywhere near that thing."

"Both eyes, wide open," he corrected, trying to resist the urge to kiss her cheek. He really did want to teach her how to use the pistol, but her proximity was distracting him more than he'd been prepared for. "You can't see anything if you're barely peeking."

She nodded, her eyes opening fully. Still close to her, Rex took a quick assessment of her stance before he spoke next. "Okay, I'm going to disable the safety and step back; after I do, I want you to aim as best you can, then squeeze off a single round."

"Right," she said, her eyes glued to the target with all the intensity of a shiny, which made him smile.

Because he couldn't stop himself any more, he planted a swift kiss on her cheek. "Good luck," he murmured in her ear, feeling no small amount of satisfaction as she flushed and nodded. As he reached forward to disable the safety with a flick of his index finger, she took a breath; when he stepped back, he watched her check her aim at least three times before her finger pressed the trigger with a light touch as she fired a single shot.

It went wide, but not as badly as he'd thought it might; she, however, was nearly knocked backward from the force of the blast, right into his waiting arms. As she turned up to him, he gave her a look of mock-sternness. "Didn't I warn you of the wallop?"

"You weren't kidding...wow," she said, righting herself while continuing to hold the weapon at arm's length. "My hands are tingling."

"The concussion of the blast will do that. Eventually you get used to it," he explained, nodding to the target again, which was now sporting a charred mark on the outer edge. "Care to try again?"

She glanced down at the blaster, then up at him again. "Only if you keep me from falling over."

* * *

_Let me know what you think of the scene with Appo and the Spaartis; it was tricky to get him "right," and I'm curious about your opinion. :)_

_Next time: more practice, a bit of Ahsoka, and yet another surprise! _

_I know I say this every time, but _thank you_ for reading. All the fiction in the world is useless if no one reads it, and I'm truly grateful for those of you who take the time to sit down and slog through all the words that fall out of my head. If you leave a review, you are even more amazing! If not...what are you waiting for? ;)_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

They continued the practice for well over the half-hour that Rex had allotted, and he was pleased to note that Brenna's aim only improved the longer she held the weapon. While she would never rival even the rawest shiny, he thought that maybe – after many more training sessions – she would be able to hold her own.

Should things get to that point, anyway.

After she managed to hit the target several consecutive times, she paused and fingered the blaster, a pensive look on her face. "Rex...I need to tell you something..."

Something caught in the center of his chest, like a stone being dropped into a pool of still water, and he nodded once, waiting. However, a frantic chirruping sound made her give an uncharacteristic swear, and she actually glared at her comlink. "Kriff...it's my boss. Looks like it's urgent..." She blew out a breath of exasperation and met his eyes, handing him the blaster as she did so. "I have to go. I'm sorry."

Rex shrugged away the uncertain feeling as he holstered the weapon. As much as he wanted – okay, _needed_ – to hear what she had to say, duty came first. Always.

"It's fine, Brenna. Go," he said, leaning forward to give her a swift kiss on her cheek. She still seemed unhappy and he wanted to reassure her, somehow, so he gave her fingers a squeeze. "Call me when you're free and we'll catch up again."

"Okay," she replied, wincing as her comlink chimed a second time; there was one more second of debate in her eyes before she looked his way again, then wrapped her arms around his armored waist and gave him a deep kiss, the kind that pushed everything else from his mind.

When she pulled back she cast a last look his way, then slipped out of his arms and from the room, leaving him alone. For a few seconds Rex watched her go, then glanced back at the target stretched out before him. There was little point in remaining here but he still had a bit of free time, which he'd hoped to spend with Brenna; he was sure he had work to do in the interim, but a part of him was reluctant to move from this spot for reasons he couldn't say.

In the next moment he figured out why, because a familiar voice caught his attention. "You okay, Rexter?"

When he looked up, his eyes fell on Ahsoka, standing at the side-entrance to the training room; leaning against one side of the doorway as she was, he thought that she seemed a bit uncertain to approach. The realization made him wonder how much of his and Brenna's interaction she'd seen, then he decided it didn't matter.

"Getting there," he replied as he took a few steps towards her, closing the gap between them. When he met her at the door, he thumbed towards the exit on the other side of the room where Bren had gone. "A little target practice. She needs it."

There was a hint of a sparkle in the Padawan's eyes as she shook her head. "I had a feeling about the two of you that time on the bridge," she said with a faint, almost embarrassed smile that made her seem younger than she was. "And when I saw the cake in your office, I put the pieces together. I just wanted to say that you seem...happy."

Despite her embarrassment, he could tell that she was genuinely pleased for him, so Rex smiled back. "I am, kid."

"Good," she replied with a nod. "Brenna seems...nice. I don't really know her, but I'm...that is, you two..." She gave a sigh of irritation, and if he had to guess, he'd say that she seemed frustrated with herself for not being able to find the right words. "You both seem...happy. And I'm glad. You deserve it, Rexter, you really do."

"Thank you, Ahsoka," he replied, giving her a warm look. "It's good to hear that." There was a pause while he considered the best way to phrase the question he wanted to ask, then he raised a brow at her. "How's the comlink working out?"

She flushed again, but it was in a different manner than before and he recognized the curve of her smile because he'd seen a similar expression on Brenna's face, usually when she thought he wasn't looking and she was finding him particularly charming.

Ahsoka cleared her throat then gave Rex a grin that hid nothing. "It's...really great, actually. Will you thank Brenna for me, please?"

Despite the fact that the smile she'd given him was nothing but happy, he felt a flash of protectiveness for her. "He's treating you okay, right? I mean..." He grimaced and shook his head. "You're...happy as well? He makes you happy?"

Her answering laughter was bright. "When I want him to be, he's a perfect gentleman...and yes, he does make me happy." At his lifted brow she rolled her eyes. "I mean, he's an idiot sometimes, but he's...nice to be with, all the time."

"As long as he doesn't bring you around any more Mandalorians," Rex muttered, shaking his head.

Ahsoka chuckled again. "Oh, he knows not to ever pull anything like _that_ again. But it's okay, Rex. Right now he's working on Coruscant. We've even managed to see each other in person a few times, when the _Resolute_ is in the Core."

Rex nodded, absorbing the information, but neither of them said anything for a moment. Finally she sighed and looked around the empty room, then back at him. "I still don't know what I'm going to do about the Code. Master's been so distracted lately, I don't think he's even noticed if anything's different with me – if anything _is_ different, I guess."

"I haven't seen much of him, either," Rex replied with a frown, thinking over the latest bits of intel he'd read. "He's pretty much left us to our own devices, especially with all of that talk of potential sieges in the Outer Rim."

"Well, we'll just have to step in and take care of everything, won't we?"

He had to smile at her wry tone. "As usual."

* * *

Several days later, Brenna was restless.

Seated in her office, she had mountains of faulty access codes to sift through, but her attention was far away, on the planet of Andara that the _Resolute_ was currently orbiting.

Rex and the rest of Torrent had been called dirtside shortly after her impromptu weapons training; currently, they were working to route a Separatist invasion of the capitol city, Utare. Through what she could tell – and it wasn't much – there was some type of hostage situation which the Jedi were trying to diffuse, while Rex and his men had the task of keeping the civilian population safe from a host of droids that the Seps had brought.

GAR action channels were heavily encrypted, but she had been able to easily slice into one of the common ones that the clones used in order to listen into the battle, something that she found herself doing more and more of late.

"_Three rollies, up ahead!"_

"_I see them! Get those cannons up here!"_

"_Man down! We need a medic...where's Coric?"_

Through it all, she held very still, pressing her headphones to her ears harder with each passing moment; if she tried to pick Rex's voice out of the chorus, she'd be immediately lost, but if she let the voices wash over her she could distinguish his at once. _"Jesse, Chopper, Doubletake: flank your squads around those rollers and get ready to open fire. Tup and Faze – droid poppers at their center." _

She was always struck by how steady he sounded, even while he was shouting; there was never any fear in his voice, only calm control, because that was what his men needed in a leader. When he returned to her – not _if_, she refused to think, but _when_ – she would understand, again, how much the fighting affected him for all that he tried to keep the feelings at bay.

But for now there was nothing she could do besides wait...and worry.

A horrific noise rocked her in her chair, and she winced as the shouts of the clones were all but obliterated by the sound of the explosion. For a moment there was only crackling static, during which her heart went to her throat and her hands pushed the headphones tight against her ears; after a moment the voices returned, Rex's among them, and she exhaled, hoping to force away the knot in her stomach with a few, deep breaths.

As the minutes passed, it appeared that the worst of the fighting had ebbed, so she told herself that she had to stop eavesdropping and get to work. However, as she removed the headphones, her eyes fell on her comlink, which was buzzing angrily against her desk. She grabbed the device and frowned at the message her roommate had sent: _Bren, come to our cabin. Urgent. _

Her first thought was that something had happened to her daughter and from there, the following thoughts quickly spiraled out of control: Iri was sick and Caith hadn't been able to reach Brenna's own comlink for some reason; something horrible - like a speeder-crash - had happened to her brother _and_ her daughter...

Without another thought, Brenna hurried out of her office and down the corridor, her steps as quick as she could make them as she navigated the twists and turns of her sector, trying to call Marliss the entire time and getting no response.

Even though her worries for Rex had fled from the forefront of her mind, adrenaline was still racing through her veins, so any pace short of sprinting was unthinkable; the moment she was out of her work-sector, Brenna rushed for the nearest turbolift, gritting her teeth at the interminable ride and trying to message Marliss to get an idea of what the kriff was going on.

Every second that ticked by, every terrified beat of her heart echoed in her ears. Was her daughter okay? What had happened? She _never_ should have left Iri, never should have taken this job so far away, no matter how well she was paid. If something happened to Iri...

She didn't know what she would do.

Heart pounding, Brenna forced herself to inhale and exhale in a steady rhythm, thinking of Rex's incongruous battle-calm and wishing that she was capable of such a feat. She tried to call Marliss again. There was no reply. The moment the lift doors opened, Brenna raced in earnest to the door to the cabin she and Marliss shared. She reached the door in record time, slammed her fingers against the lock panel and burst into the room, her breath coming in gasps.

"Where is she?" Brenna nearly choked as Marliss moved to greet her. "Iri! Is she okay? Did Caith call? What happened?"

Marliss' face was pale, but she shook her head. "Iri's fine, Bren. It's not...that's not why I called..." She trailed off and nodded across the room, to a spot behind Brenna's shoulder. "It's him."

Brenna's heart was still thundering in her chest, but in that moment her movements felt slow and gelatinous. As she turned, she caught sight of familiar gray armor, her eyes falling on the blue, T-visor of Tucker's helmet from its place clipped to his belt. When she met his eyes her mouth opened but no words came out.

"Hey, Bren." His gaze on her was the same: intense and filled with emotion. Tucker hesitated, then flicked his eyes to Marliss before he handed her a small object that Brenna recognized as her roommate's comlink. "Thanks for your help, Miss Menin. Can we have a second, please?"

As Marliss hurried out of the cabin, Brenna managed to recover. Her daughter was fine – she'd still have to check in with Caith, just in case – but right now she was having trouble quantifying the sight of Iri's father standing before her, his eyes fixed on her face. Finally she swallowed and managed to find her voice. "Tucker."

"I'm an idiot," he said suddenly, making a move to step forward.

Brenna instinctively stepped back, crossing her arms before her chest as she did so; both of the actions renewed her the ability to form simple words. "That's a good start."

A pained look crossed his face, but he nodded. After a moment he cleared his throat and gave her a very small smile. "You look really good, Brenna."

He paused, then glanced down at something in his hand; a closer look showed her that he was clutching one of her pictures of Iri. "Our girl does, too. Irini looks just like you...she's beautiful."

"So you did get the messages I sent."

The sharp edge to her words made him wince, but he nodded again. Silence. Brenna took another breath because she was starting to tremble and wanted to calm down. "I've thought about this moment, you know," she said after a beat, watching his gaze flicker with hope. "A lot. I've wondered what you would say to me if we saw each other again, but I really have no idea, Tucker."

She exhaled and injected as much steadiness into her voice as she could and refused to drop her eyes from his. "What are you waiting for?"

"I'm so sorry, Bren," he whispered, his throat moving in a swallow. "I just...I panicked, you know? I wasn't ready to be a parent...it was a total shock..."

"I remember," she replied. "I was there, too. I felt the same way. But why have you tracked me down, now?"

Glancing down, he fingered the picture in his hand for a moment, then looked back up at her. "They're dead. Os, Crane and Burr...Brenna, everyone I ever cared about is dead, except you and _her_."

Despite her anger, the mention of his squad-mates made her features soften. "I heard about what happened to your brothers. I'm sorry...they were good guys."

He nodded and took a shaking breath, then ran a hand through dark hair that was longer than Rex's but still military-short. When his eyes fell on her again, they were filled with something that she remembered too well. "I've missed you. I've thought about you, every day."

"Me too," she replied. "Thought about you, I mean."

"Have you?" he asked as he looked at her with a familiar gaze, one that was edged with hope.

Brenna frowned and narrowed her eyes, watching as his face fell. "Tucker...why are you here?"

Fear was plainly written on his features while he formulated his reply, and she could see that he was trembling as well; it was an incongruous sight when paired with the bulky Katarn armor that had always made him seem invincible. "I want to...change things, Brenna. I want to do what's right for you and Irini."

The words made her blood freeze even as hot fury threatened to choke. "Get out."

"What?"

Shock crossed his face, but she ignored it; all of the anger and frustration that she'd felt for him, the emotion that she'd tried to set aside since her daughter's birth, it all came flooding back and she found that she was shaking with barely restrained fury. "Get out. _Now_."

Tucker paled, but took a breath. "I'm not leaving until you hear me out, Bren." There was a debate on his features, and he reached for her, but she evaded him and stepped backward again, her heel hitting Marliss' bunk. He froze and looked at her again. "Brenna...I want things to be different. Can't you just-"

"No, I can't," she replied, keeping her arms wrapped about her waist tightly enough to prevent him from seeing that she was trembling. "I don't care what you want, Tucker. Yes, maybe our lives could have been different, but you _ran_. You left us both, and you don't get another chance to fix things, now."

His grip on the picture tightened, and she watched the flimsi-pic wrinkle beneath his gloved hand. "But can't we-"

Reaching forward, she snatched it away from him, the movement fast enough to catch even him off-guard. "That's not how it works," she said as she smoothed it out, trying to find a semblance of calm by looking at her daughter's smiling face. "You can't just show up out of the void, not having seen or spoken to me in almost three _years_, and expect me to just cooperate."

"Brenna, I know that I hurt you, but-"

"I don't care about that," she replied as she slipped the pic in her pants-pocket. "_I'm_ fine, now. But Irini is another story, entirely. You walked out on your daughter, Tucker. Your _child_."

His head ducked for an instant; when he spoke, his voice was hoarse. "I couldn't handle it, back then. But I can, _now_. Bren, I'm stronger than I was. We can do this...we can make it work. I just need you to give me one more chance. That's why I wanted to find you. I thought, if I could just make you see-"

"Tucker..."

"Brenna, I love you," he said simply, meeting her eyes with the look that had once set her heart to racing and made her body shiver with desire, years ago. "I _love_ you and I want to be with you and with our daughter."

The words made Brenna want to hit him, hard, but she knew for certain that if she moved her entire body would fall to pieces. "You don't know what love is, Tucker. If you did, you wouldn't have run away."

"Then I want to learn." He looked at her, pleading in his gaze. "Please..."

"It's too late."

She watched him flinch at her words, though he recovered a moment later. "I...just want to fix what I broke."

That was her undoing. Adrenaline swept through her veins again, her arms unfolded from her chest and she felt heat rise to her face as she stepped forward. "This isn't a blaster you can put back together, Tucker; I'm not one of your Verpines. You can't 'fix' this...you can't replace what you've thrown away."

With each word her voice was rising in pitch, and she knew that she was moments away from losing the final vestiges of control, but she didn't care. "I can't believe that you thought you could just show up and sweep me off my feet again, like I would forget-"

Tucker was shaking his head, hands raised as if beseeching. "Just give me a chance, Bren. I know that I screwed up...but I'm here now, and I want to make it right-"

"Brenna."

It was a clone, but it wasn't Tucker's voice. Turning towards her now-open door, Brenna's eyes fell on Rex, standing at the threshold, his gaze fixed on her and his fists tight at his sides.

* * *

_Next time: more of Tucker and Rex's thoughts on the situation._

_Tucker turned out to be one of my favorite characters, though I know he probably seems like a major_ di'kut_ right now. :P  
_

_Thank you for reading! Also, if you're interested, there's a new Rex/Brenna interlude up on my AFF site. :)  
_

_(Side note: Wow! TFK has gotten over 200 reviews! I'm so thankful for each of you who took the time to let me know what you think. You all kick shebs!)  
_


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

_Earlier..._

Missions where no one died were few and far between, and Rex had felt like celebrating.

It was Ahsoka who'd suggested that he leave the planet once the fighting had ended. Rex had been prepared for at least another few hours dirtside, collecting the wounded and picking up the pieces of the battle's aftermath, but his friend had all but insisted he return to the _Resolute; _behind her eyes, there had only been a desire to see him happy. She'd joked that she could order him to leave, but he'd chuckled and said that wasn't necessary.

The return journey had been surprisingly swift. He'd considered comm'ing Bren ahead of time, then decided to surprise her instead, thinking that maybe she could forgo her work and skip out a bit early with him. Maybe they could return to her cabin, he could feign being exceptionally dirty from the battle, thus necessitating the need for a shower...not that either one of them needed an excuse to be close, but he knew how much she liked it when he flirted with her.

So it was with a relatively light heart that he'd made his way to her office, wishing for one silly moment that he had flowers or something else he could present to her instead of a dust-coated kama; but she hadn't been there. Puzzled, he'd tried to comm her – no response.

That was when he'd thought to make his way to her and Marliss' cabin. Perhaps she'd been sick and had to leave early. The thought struck him that perhaps something had happened to Iri and she'd been called away, which was enough to quicken his pace.

But when he'd reached her door and heard her shouting...

Thankfully the door was slightly open, because otherwise he would have instinctively shot his way through, whether he knew the lock-code or not.

It took him a moment to wrap his mind around the scene that greeted him. Brenna was shouting at a clone – a commando, by the looks of his armor – and Rex realized immediately that he'd never seen her truly angry before; her hands were shaking, her face was flushed and her eyes were ablaze as they remained fixed on the other clone's face.

When the commando spoke it took Rex all of three seconds to process the reality behind what he was witnessing. "...but I'm here now, and I want to make it right-"

Later on, Rex would not remember what he said when he entered the room, but he knew he said something because they both turned to look at him. Brenna's mouth was open as if she was about to reply to the commando, but when she spoke it was only Rex's name, and even then it was more of an indrawn breath. "Rex..."

The commando – Rex searched his memory and recalled her mentioning that Iri's father's name was Tucker – glared at the newcomer like he had the _kriffing_ right. "Who the _haran_ is this?"

"The man who's about to knock you off of your sorry _shebs_." At Rex's sharp words, both clones made to lunge towards each other, but Brenna stepped between them, angling herself so that she was closer to Rex than to the commando – Tucker – whose eyes narrowed as he froze in place.

A moment later the lines of anger across the commando's face deepened as he spoke to Brenna again. "So you replaced me, is that it? Or do you just have a _thing_ for clones?"

Standing before him as she was, Rex could see that Brenna's hands were trembling with what he assumed was fury, but when she spoke her voice was remarkably steady. "Rex has nothing to do with this, Tucker."

"I find that hard to believe." Tucker's words were dark and he shot a look at Rex, the meaning of which was clear. _She's mine. Back off. _"You don't need _me_ if you have _him_."

"There are a whole host of reasons why I don't need you," she replied. "But Rex isn't one of them. You need to leave. Now."

Tucker scowled at Rex again; in response, the captain stepped closer to Brenna, not touching her but offering silent support. As much as he wanted to speak – or preferably, to beat the commando into a bloody pulp – something urged him to wait, to watch. If Bren needed him he would fight for her in a heartbeat, but he felt that this was her fight, not his.

Not yet, anyway.

In the meantime, Rex held the commando's gaze, silently daring him to do something stupid and noting with a swell of satisfaction that the other man's glare deepened. _Give me a reason, _he thought as he gave a minuscule shake of his head. _Give me a reason to strike you down, you miserable, low-life, shabla excuse for a man..._

"You're making a mistake, Bren," Tucker said suddenly, breaking the stare and looking back at the brown-haired woman. "_I'm_ her father."

"You're the man who got me pregnant," she replied in a flat voice. "You're not a father. You were right about that, at least. Leave," she added, the word hard as durasteel. "Now."

There was a moment where Rex watched the commando's body tense as if he were about to spring forward or do some other stupid thing, but the other man only clenched his jaw and stepped for the door. Too bad it looked like he was going to leave quietly, because Rex thought that he _really _would have preferred a chance to deck the commando at least once. Or twice. Three times, maybe.

Tucker paused at the door, and inclined his head towards her again, his mouth opening. In response, Rex felt his body shift forward, imperceptibly. Four – no, five – good swings, and he'd start to be satisfied.

But Brenna's voice shoved the commando out of the room with more force than even Rex's fists could have mustered. "Just go, Tucker."

The commando shot Rex a final, dark look, then stepped across the threshold. The moment he was gone, Brenna stepped forward and activated the lock on the door panel, then she turned and leaned her back against the closed door, sliding to the floor before she put her head in her hands and went very still; moments later, he heard a soft, hiccuping noise and realized that she was crying.

Uncertain of what exactly he was supposed to do – or think, for that matter – Rex approached her and knelt by her side, placing a tentative hand on her knee. "Are you okay?"

She nodded wordlessly, and he watched as she swiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater before she looked up at him. "I should have told you."

Aside from anger at Tucker's sudden appearance, he wasn't quite sure how to feel about the situation. Jealous, maybe. Sifting through his feelings for the emotion, Rex didn't find it. Perhaps he should have and indeed, after a moment he felt a flare of..._something_, but it wasn't jealousy for Tucker and what that clone had done with Brenna. Examining the feeling, Rex realized that it wasn't _jealousy, _but it was a familiar kind of _longing, _a desire for something that he was probably never meant to have, but wanted all the same. Something that Tucker had thrown away.

None of that was her fault. However, Rex still would have liked to know that Iri's father was a clone because he didn't know much about relationships, but he knew about honesty. So he was quiet for a moment before he nodded. "Yes, you should have."

There was a pause as he lifted his hand and watched her collect herself further, then he added: "Why didn't you?"

"Because I couldn't..." She frowned and scrubbed at her face with her sleeve again, then took a deep breath. "I couldn't lose you, too."

"Lose me?"

Brenna shifted, bending her knees in front of her and hugging her arms to her chest. She didn't look at him when she spoke. "When I told Tucker about Iri, he left without looking back. Before that, after I fell in love with Arcas, he left me as well. They always leave, and I couldn't..." Her eyes closed and she took another breath before sliding her gaze back to him. "I couldn't risk it with you, Rex."

Something like anger flared within him, sharper then he'd felt in a long time, and he thought of the commando that she'd ejected from her room. "You thought I would act like...like him? Like that piece of _osik _excuse for a clone?"

Her eyes closed again but she said nothing. Rex exhaled through his nose, working to keep his voice calm and thinking that he was failing. "We're not all the same, Brenna. Tucker's actions don't carry over to mine. I thought you..." His throat went tight, but he continued in a dark voice. "I thought you knew that."

The kneeling position he was in had started to make his legs tingle, so Rex rose, thinking he needed to leave the room anyway, because it was starting to feel stifling in here. Moving...he had an overwhelming urge to be moving, somewhere far away, somewhere dark and dangerous where he could lose himself in the shadows.

But as he stood, something seemed to snap within her; she stood up as well and reached for his gloved hand, at last meeting his eyes as she spoke. "I know that you're not all the same, Rex," she whispered, holding his gaze. "Of course I do. It's just...I made an awful mistake in trusting Arcas, and again – a worse one – with Tucker. I took this job on the _Resolute_ to try and make it right, but..."

At this, she paused. Her hand was clutching his and he could feel that she was trembling. "But, what?"

"But I made another mistake," she said at last, still holding his gaze. "The moment I realized how much you meant to me, I should have told you about Tucker. I shouldn't have kept that from you, but I couldn't risk it. I'm not strong enough to go through all of that again, not with you.

"Rex, I never meant to fall in love with you, but I did, and I just couldn't risk losing you like I lost them."

Rex's limbs were frozen in place because her words had taken away his most basic motor functions. As it was, he thought he'd heard her wrong, and needed clarification. "What did you say?"

She gave a small, confused shake of her head; thankfully, he could still speak, even if his legs wouldn't move. "You said...'love.'"

A pink flush crept to her cheeks, but she did not drop her eyes from his as she nodded. "Yes, Rex. I love you."

Now it was his heart that wasn't working properly, it was beating much too fast, the frenetic pace making him dizzy; it was difficult to breathe, to think, and all he could do was gawk at her as the anger fled, replaced by complete and total bewilderment. "How do you know?"

Brenna lifted their joined hands and placed his over her heart so that his fingertips were resting on her collarbone. "I just do. I feel it, here."

As Rex looked at his own hand, half-thinking that it didn't look like _his _for some reason, his mouth opened, but no sound came out. How would he know if the words he wanted to say would be true? How did he know anything at all, especially when it came to something like love, something that was the opposite of what he'd been bred for? War, death, fighting: _they_ were his arenas, not love.

Beneath his gloved hand he could feel her heart beating a curiously fast tempo, and he realized that her eyes had not once dropped from his while he'd been thinking.

"It's okay," she added with a soft smile that would be the last thing he saw right before he died, if he was lucky enough to be given a choice. "I didn't tell you that I love you just to hear you say it, too. I said it because I wanted you to know. You don't have to say it back if you're not sure, because I know that you'll mean it, if you ever do say it."

This answer at least, he knew. Rex shook his head. "When."

Her brows knitted in confusion, so he reached up and placed his other hand over hers so that both of his were pressed over her heart. "Not 'if,' but _when_."

* * *

_Many of you expressed concern for Tucker, and I don't blame you. Tucker is in a really unfortunate situation, but he did have a hand in the making of it; Brenna's not without fault, either. __Neither of them are "bad," they just made some poor choices and are suffering the consequences._

___It's important to me that my characters are not static, that they have depth and dimension, flaws and good points alike. I love hearing what you think of them! _

___One of the reasons I enjoy writing angst and drama is that they make the "good times" that much better. :) Hopefully Bren's reasons for not telling Rex about Tucker sooner are clear, as well as what exactly Rex was angry about. If not, please let me know. :) _

_Thank you for reading!_

_Next time: sparring lessons with the boys, (and considerably less angst.)_


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

_Two weeks later..._

Since Brenna had – apparently – taken to the shooting lessons so well, Rex had mentioned that he wanted to instruct her in some of the basic principles of hand-to-hand combat; despite her protestations that she was no warrior, he'd been quite insistent and she had eventually relented, if for no other reason than to make him happy.

The afternoon of the first session, as she was getting ready to meet Rex in the clones' gymnasium, Marliss stepped out of the of the 'fresher of their cabin, blonde hair pulled back from her face and dressed in the clothes she wore to exercise. Brenna paused in the midst of lacing her shoes and gave her roommate a startled look. "Didn't you have a shift today?"

Marliss smiled; the expression was quite dazzling, especially when paired with her fair hair and slender frame. If she hadn't been so kind – not to mention _understanding_ about letting Rex and Brenna have the run of the cabin more often than not – Brenna might have had the silly urge to hate her a little bit. "I called in a favor. I thought I'd come with you, learn how to throw a punch or something else useful."

There was an edge to her tone that Brenna recognized, so she gave a chuckle. "Ah, that's right...Fives is going to be there, isn't he?"

At her words, Marliss' features shifted to mock surprise. "Is he? Hmm...I didn't know. Did you mention that?"

Brenna laughed outright and reached down to finish lacing her shoe. "I know he hasn't been around a whole lot lately, but you two seemed to hit it off during the sabacc game."

"He's...interesting," Marliss replied with a shrug, leaning against the bulkhead as she watched the brown-haired woman. "He's got a good sense of humor..."

"So the kama has nothing to do with it?" At this, Marliss frowned in confusion, which made Brenna chuckle again. "The skirt-thing some of them wear. Rex has one, too."

"Oh, yes," Marliss drawled, nodding in understanding as her eyes lit up. "The _kama_. Well, it's nice to look at, I guess. Not that I've been looking or anything, but I might have noticed it, once or twice."

"Of course," Brenna replied, trying not to laugh again as she looked back down at her shoes. "Just don't call it a 'skirt.' He won't appreciate it. I learned that the hard way."

A few minutes later, Brenna and Marliss made their way several levels down to the clones' sector, where the soldiers' gymnasium was located. It felt a bit odd for Brenna to be down here, as she and Rex had mostly kept their interactions in other areas of the ship, but she found that she was interested to know everything she could about where Rex and his brothers spent their time.

The gymnasium was not as large as she'd imagined, but it was well-stocked. A wide array of workout equipment, machines, weights and various other accouterments were spread through the main section, along with a number of clones, many of whom she recognized at least in passing by now. All of them offered the civilians surprised but friendly smiles, their eyes perhaps lingering a moment too long on the female newcomers in the way of men who hadn't spent much time around women, but there was only benign interest in their gazes.

Brenna heard one hushed whisper that sounded like "the Captain's girl," but she couldn't be sure, and anyway it didn't matter when she spotted Rex, standing with Fives off to one side of the room. Both men were dressed in their navy-blue fatigues and were overlooking a large area, empty except for a rubberized mat and a few practice dummies that she figured were in place to absorb punches and kicks. Rex was facing away from her, so it was Fives who marked the civilians' approach and tilted his chin, causing the blond man to turn her way.

When he looked at her...

Well, her heart did more than skip a beat. It leaped, cheered, shouted with joy. _I love you, Rex._

It didn't matter that he hadn't yet said the words back; she could read them plainly enough in his eyes. Right now, as he smiled and moved to meet her, she felt strangely giddy, like her feet weren't exactly making contact with the floor and any moment she'd discover that the artificial gravity generators on the _Resolute_ had been compromised.

They met several paces from the mat and while she wanted to fall into his arms, she held herself in check because she didn't think that he would appreciate such a display in front of his men; instead, she decided to kiss his cheek or something else innocuous, but he startled her by reaching for her hand, pulling her towards his chest and giving her a swift but very fierce kiss against her mouth, strong enough to make her breath short.

"You're late," he murmured by way of greeting when they pulled apart, smiling down at her; in response, Brenna shrugged and leaned up to kiss him again.

"That's my fault," Marliss replied, standing between the couple and Fives, a broad grin on her face as she watched Brenna and Rex. "I slowed her down when I asked to tag along."

"You came down here without asking for permission?" Fives shook his head, _tut-tutting_ under his breath. "That's certainly against protocol, Miss Menin."

At this, the blonde woman shot him a deadpan look. "I rarely ask for permission to do anything, ARC-boy."

Her words caused Fives' brow to lift, unabashed interest written on his face. As the four of them convened in the center of the training mat, Brenna noted that the ARC trooper seemed to have an extra bounce in his step in front of her roommate, even going so far as to flex his biceps as he walked; she shot a look at Rex, who rolled his eyes and gave an infinitesimal shake of his head.

While the women stood to one side, Rex and Fives faced one another with the captain explaining some basic principles to get them started.

"Now, since neither of you are – hopefully – going to be involved in actual combat," he said, his eyes falling on Brenna as he spoke. "Fives and I are going to demonstrate a few basic moves that should help you evade or escape capture; afterward, we'll show you how to inflict a bit of damage to an attacker, should the situation escalate to that point."

"When in doubt," Fives added with a raised brow at Marliss. "Go for the groin."

"Er...or the eyes," Rex said, frowning at the ARC in a way that made Brenna want to chuckle. Fives smirked; Marliss tilted her head but kept her expression neutral, waiting. Within a few moments, the clones were facing one another on the mat while Rex explained everything as it happened, urging his brother to move slowly and distinctly so that the civilians could see what was being done.

The first few movements were simple enough to follow: Fives would lunge for Rex, who would catch his arm or block his fist with a deft motion that Brenna thought she could manage easily, should she have to. As he'd been during her blaster-training, Rex was a remarkably patient teacher, explaining what was about to be done, demonstrating it in real-time and then doing so in a kind of slow-motion, so that she and Marliss could see exactly what they would need to do to replicate the action.

"This is an effective move if your attacker is trying to choke you," Rex was saying as Fives wrapped his hands around the captain's neck, the violent picture belied by the ARC's continued suggestive winking at the women. Naturally, Rex remained calm and unaffected, having apparently decided to ignore Fives' antics. "A swift, firm push underneath the chin – preferably with enough force to jar the nose – is a good way to break his concentration and give yourself an opportunity to get away. _Fives_."

The ARC had been baring his teeth in a feral, overly-aggressive fashion, which was making both Marliss and Brenna start to snicker, along with several other clones in the gym who'd stopped by to watch. At Rex's sharp tone, Fives' faced relaxed and he flexed his fingers, "tightening" his grip around the captain's neck. "Right. Choking you now, sir."

Rex shoved the palm of his right hand forward, catching the ARC under his jaw and forcing his head backward with a swift motion that – had he been applying as much force as Brenna knew he was capable of – would have likely caused severe injury to the other man. As he did so, Rex glanced at the civilians. "See how it immobilizes him? It's not a very complicated move, but it's quite effective when done properly."

"_Unless_ your opponent is an ARC trooper," Fives grunted, then neatly slipped out of Rex's hold, drew back his hands and dropped his shoulders as if to pummel himself into the other man. "Watch how it's done, ladies."

Fives had the briefest advantage of surprise, so there was a moment where he was able to shove Rex backward a few meters. However, Brenna watched with admiration as Rex appeared to gather his strength before sliding beneath Fives' torso and flipping him up and around, causing the ARC trooper to nearly lose his balance and fall to the mat.

Not to be outdone, Fives recovered his feet and vaulted himself at the captain, making to strike a blow at Rex's jaw with his fist; rather than duck, Rex angled his body along the trajectory of Fives' fist, which made the other man to stumble forward, though in an instant the ARC was whirling around to lob another punch, this time managing to hit Rex's stomach.

From there, the sparring devolved into a brief tussle. Jesse, Tup, and a few others had appeared as well, offering jeers and "atta-boys" at the ensuing struggle.

It didn't last long; Brenna noted that Rex's tactics were less aggressive than Fives', but there was no lack of skill or strength in his movements. She also noticed that he seemed to try and make use of many of the evasive maneuvers and grips that had already been demonstrated, as if to show Brenna and Marliss "real-world" examples of how they could be utilized.

Fives was equally skilled, but she thought that perhaps he was a little distracted by Marliss, who'd kept her eyes on the ARC the entire time. The endgame arrived when Fives tried a particularly complicated kick-punch combo that failed when Rex swept his feet out from under him, causing the ARC to fall to the ground, his back pinned under the captain's knee.

Rex muttered something in Mando'a that Brenna couldn't discern and Fives replied in kind, after which both men got to their feet. For a moment the two soldiers stood facing each other, panting slightly, then Rex straightened and cast a subtle glance at Brenna as if to gauge her reaction; when she beamed, he gave slight nod that she thought was meant to be casual, but she could see the pleased half-smile that crossed his face even as he ordered the rest of his men to disperse.

By contrast, Fives was preening in front of Marliss, who was watching him with a raised brow. Perhaps he'd lost the "match," but she could tell that her roommate was duly impressed with the trooper. Based on the grins he kept shooting her, Fives knew it as well.

"Anyway," Rex said as if nothing had taken place. "Those are a few moves to get you started. Pretty basic stuff, but – as you saw from our _demonstration_ – quite effective. Now, I'd like each of you to try."

"They can fight each other," Fives added, waggling his brow at Marliss. "Show us how much they've learned."

Rex frowned, but Marliss simply rolled her eyes. "Come here, Fives; I think I've figured out the easiest way to take you down."

Brenna could see the debate in Rex's eyes, but she shook her head and stepped towards him even as Fives practically bounded over to her roommate. "Start with the backwards grip-thing," Brenna said as she braced her legs beneath her. "I think that was my favorite."

Even as he "attacked" her, it was more than a little distracting to have him pressed close to her, his arms around her torso. However, after a few moments she was able to concentrate on what she was supposed to be doing, and she was actually able to slip out of his grasp, though she knew he hadn't really been _trying. _

As she was about to tell him to not go easy on her, Fives' voice broke above the ambient sounds of the gym. "Is that all you've got, Marliss? Is that the best you can do?"

Looking over, Brenna saw that the ARC trooper was bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, offering quick but harmless jabs at her roommate as Marliss avoided the movements. There was a smirk of his face and his eyes were flashing with delight, probably because he had all of Marliss' attention at the moment, even though Brenna could see that the blonde woman was starting to become irritated with his antics.

"I would tone it down if I were you, Fives," Marliss said, sidestepping to avoid another blow. At her words, Rex shot Brenna a cautious glance, but she shook her head. Her roommate was more than capable of dealing with Fives.

The ARC trooper grinned at Marliss as he approached again. "Oh, yeah? If I don't, will you pin me?"

Marliss moved surprisingly quickly, considering that this was her first lesson in hand-to-hand combat – that Brenna was aware of, anyway. As the others watched, she struck a sharp knee-jab to Fives' groin, causing the clone's laughter to immediately cease as he yelped and crumpled to the mat, his hands dropped to cover the area from further injury.

"_Haar'chak_," he hissed, sucking in his breath as Marliss stood over him, hands on her hips. "Kriffing son of a..."

"You said 'go for the groin,' didn't you?" Marliss replied with raised brows. "I was just following your instructions."

In the corner of her eye, Brenna could see the other clones in the gym exhibiting varying degrees of pained and sympathetic looks, though more than a few were chuckling and shaking their heads. He'd been asking for it, after all.

Beside Brenna, Rex was one of the men who was wincing. She glanced his way and gave him a knowing look. "Just so we're clear, you've done nothing to warrant a knee in the crotch."

"Glad to hear that," he said, his expression smoothing as he reached his arm around her waist.

Beyond them, Fives groaned again.

* * *

_Apparently I'm not too old to enjoy a good "knee to the groin" joke. :P_

_I don't know the Mando'a translation, so I didn't include it, but when Rex helps Fives off of the mat, their dialog goes something like this in my head: Rex: "Are you done acting like an idiot?" Fives: "Never." If anyone knows the Mando'a translation (I know_ di'kut_ means "idiot," but that's about it), I'd be delighted to learn!  
_

_Next time: another battle..._

_Thank you all so much for reading! :)_

_PS: Many thanks to _**TheLightIsMine**_ for creating some amazing cover art for TFK! The link's on my author page...check it out! :D  
_


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

_Later that week..._

Rex was tired.

He'd left quite a bit behind on the world of Derra IV, including most of his energy and a significant amount of blood, taken from a gash on his upper thigh when his armor had been compromised by a slice of shrapnel. His ears still rang with the sounds of blaster-fire and thermal dets, the audio dampers in the clones' buckets having been temporarily disabled by a few Seppie EMP grenades.

Once the battle had been won, he'd allowed himself to be loaded onto a hover-stretcher to be returned to the _Resolute_, as his leg hurt too much to put any amount of weight on at the moment. But it didn't matter, because – as he'd messaged to Brenna – he'd be fine. A meal, a few days of rest, perhaps a nice massage or ten from her, and he'd be good as new.

Derra IV had not claimed any of his brothers, and for that he was nothing but thankful.

In one way he felt callous for the feeling, as a number of the Spaartis had been lost, but in another he didn't feel as...connected to them as he did to the men he considered his true brothers, to Jesse, Tup, Kix and the rest who were on the gunship with him as the pilot waited for clearance to take off. The engines of the LAAT/i whined, as if the vehicle was as impatient to leave as the men it carried, but Rex – lying on the gently floating stretcher – felt a strange sense of calm.

Well, not so strange, not when he could recall that Kix had injected him with enough painkillers to keep him lying here, still and useless. Rex wanted to scold the medic for doing so, because he was _fine_, really he was, and there was no reason to incapacitate him when he had so much to do. This thought prompted him to try and lift his head so that he could find and reprimand Kix, but his body didn't listen to him and continued to just lie still. Rex struggled for a moment more, then decided he should probably acquiesce to the meds, this one time.

Eyes closed, bucket resting next to his head as if standing sentinel, he shifted his focus and listened to the melody of his brothers' voices, letting their words trickle into his mind because it was good to hear them speak.

Tup was standing at his right shoulder, his voice still filled with battle-churned adrenaline, and Rex figured that the lad would be fast asleep the moment that he stepped into the barracks and crashed from the hormone-high. "I can't believe we pulled that one off. I thought we were going to get blown into oblivion after the Spaartis started setting off those booby-traps."

"They kept right on going, didn't they?" Coric replied from his place at Rex's left side. "They may not have had the sense to avoid the traps, but they certainly had enough energy to push through them."

Jesse spoke next, giving a soft grunt of assent before he changed the subject: "We could have used Fives for this one. Too bad that _di'kut's_ off doing his fancy ARC stuff right now."

By the unusually solemn tone of his voice, he was exhausted; Rex recalled that the tattooed clone had done quite a number on a pack of droiddekas, and made a mental note to honor his actions in front of the others.

As soon as he could get up.

"Appo's been working them pretty hard in the sims. I guess he got them motivated." Coric sounded skeptical.

Jesse gave a snort. "That's one way of putting it. I've heard they're all like that, all the Spaartis who've been pushed into the GAR in the last couple of weeks."

"So this is normal, now," Tup replied in a quiet voice. "It seems...weird, doesn't it?"

There was a pause, during which Rex heard more brothers step aboard the gunship; as he'd done since the fighting had ended he mentally tallied them, adding a name and a face to the treads he could recognize and frowning when he realized that it was Coric who'd been limping, and again when Chopper expelled his breath with a pained hiss as he sat down somewhere to the left.

Present and accounted for, all. Injured, but alive. Rex breathed a sigh of relief and thanked whatever gods lived on Derra IV that it was so.

A soft touch at his left thigh, at the site of his injury; Kix had wrapped his leg in bacta-packs, but was probably still concerned with infection. Jesse spoke a moment later. "The captain's out cold?"

"He _should_ be," Kix replied in a dry voice. "I gave him enough painkillers to make him sleep, but I think he's being stubborn. As usual."

"Captain, you did enough out there to keep us safe...now _you_ need to rest." Tup's tone was concerned and vaguely chiding, and Rex felt a pat at his shoulder. He wanted to speak, but knew that any words he could get out would be blurry and useless.

Damn that medic.

The pitch of the gunship's engines shifted from a whine to a louder, throaty buzz, and Rex heard the blast doors close. Moments later, the pressure around him changed as the transport lifted from the dirt and began to make its way to the upper atmosphere, where the _Resolute_ was waiting.

Where Brenna was waiting. No doubt she would be worried for him, but he couldn't quite remember if he'd sent his message to her before or after the meds that Kix had forced on his person. Hopefully before; she'd commented in the past about getting nonsensical messages from him, reading him some of the more entertaining ones, the ones that had made her laugh, but only after she'd assured herself that he was okay.

Among other things, Rex was grateful that he was returning to her once more. With that thought – plus the fact that he couldn't really hear anything that the others were saying over the droning engines – he fell back and allowed sleep to overrun his body and mind.

* * *

_Brennn: mm fine. Scratch leg, nobad. Kixpatchedme up welll. Backs oon._

Furrowing her brow, Brenna studied the message that Rex had sent her; it was easy enough to decipher what he meant, but she found that she didn't care for the thought that he'd been injured enough to require heavy medication.

But he was alive and he was returning to her. For that she was nothing but grateful.

A moment later her comlink buzzed again: _Miss Damaris, it's Kix. Rex is – as I think he tried to tell you – just fine. He caught a bit of shrapnel in his leg, but he's on the mend and should be good as new after a bit of rest. _

Her throat caught at the mention of "a bit of shrapnel," but she was touched beyond measure that Kix had thought to alert her of Rex's condition, so she hurried to reply.

_Thanks, Kix. I'm glad he has you to look out for him. I hope you made it through okay, and the others as well. _

There was a pause, then she had to smile at the medic's reply: _We're all in one piece, Miss Damaris. Thank you._

* * *

When Rex woke up, everything in his field of vision was painfully bright, so he knew that he was back on the _Resolute_, in the medbay. Even so, it took him a few moments to orient himself, squinting his eyes against the harsh glare of the lights above his head and trying to make out the figures of those in the beds that surrounded him.

It was quiet, but not pleasantly so. It was not the kind of quiet that accompanied wounded men who were resting, but a more permanent kind.

It was the quiet of the dead.

Terror caught in his throat for an instant, because he could have _sworn _that none of his brothers had fallen on Derra IV – he'd been the only one who'd been injured enough to wind up here, hadn't he?

Rex fought against the sluggishness of the painkillers, and after a brief struggle was able to raise his head and look around. As his vision cleared, he realized that he didn't recognize anyone who was in the other beds of the medbay. Disliking the fact, he gave a few hard blinks, as if he could force recognition into his brain, and – thankfully – after another moment or two he frowned to himself as he registered the fact that it was Spaarti clones who filled the beds around him. They were silent, every one. Some were sleeping, as evidenced by the steady rise and fall of their chests. Some were awake, staring at the ceiling with eyes that appeared to see nothing. Some were dead.

He recognized them at once, for their bodies had been completely covered with sheets, and his frown deepened. The dead were not supposed to remain in the medbay; standard operating procedure dictated that they be cremated immediately upon returning to the ship, their armor distributed among those who were left or returned to Kamino to be processed and recycled.

"Captain." Kix's voice was soft, familiar, but was a marked contrast to the silence of the surrounding clones. The medic was at his side, his eyes glancing over Rex's form with a practiced sweep. "You should be asleep."

"Why are there dead men here, Kix?" Rex was sure to pitch his voice low, so not to disturb any of the others.

Kix's expression remained calm but he gave a deep sigh and a very small shake of his head, the kind that you never wanted to see on the man who was in charge of your health. "From what I heard, the incinerator locked up...from overuse. I didn't ask for more details."

The captain stared at him for a moment, then looked back around at the others. Not a single of the Spaarti clones seemed even a little interested in the conversation, even though he felt a bit sick to his stomach. "How many of them didn't make it back?"

There was a weighted pause. "Over half of the Spaartis that came down with us fell during the battle."

"Over...half...?"

Kix nodded, then grimaced and rubbed at his forehead; Rex noted the shadows under his brother's eyes. "I'm sorry, Rex. I always seem to be the one to give you the bad news."

"No, Kix," Rex replied, shaking his head. "It's not-"

"It is. It's my duty." Kix offered him a wan smile, then thumbed towards the doorway. "They only just left about a quarter of an hour ago – Commander Tano, Jesse, Tup and some of the others – I told them that you weren't supposed to be awake for another few hours. Figures you'd try and prove me wrong."

Rex chuckled, but he didn't know if it was because he actually wanted to laugh, or because he was trying to prevent himself from crying. He glanced around at the Spaarti clones again, his brow furrowed. "Offhand, do you happen to know the casualty numbers for the Spaartis in other units besides ours?"

There was a pause while Kix considered, his expression the one of a man who was trying to think of a tactful way to phrase his words. "About the same, from what I've heard. But the GAR keeps refilling the ranks with more of them like they've done with Torrent, so it hardly seems to make an impact on the units' effectiveness."

Although Rex had been expecting a similar answer, the words still struck. He nodded once, thinking that maybe he should try and comm Cody later, to see if the commander's experiences with the Spaartis had been similar. With that, he gave Kix a warm look. "Thanks for watching over me – again. I know I'm a terrible patient."

"Yes, well, I'm used to your kind of terrible, Captain," Kix replied with a shrug. "And I'm happy to help." There was a pause, then he cleared his throat. "I hope you don't mind, but I comm'd Miss Damaris to let her know that you were okay; I wasn't sure if you'd managed to send her a readable message or not."

Casting his memory back, Rex thought that he had sent her a message, but he was certain that it had been post-meds, so there was really no telling what he'd said. Hopefully nothing too alarming. "Thanks, _vod. _Did she reply back?"

"She did."

He hated that she worried for him while he was in combat, but he knew that it would happen whether or not he liked it. "How did she seem?"

Kix shrugged. "Worried, if I had to guess. But she..." He paused again, and Rex noted with amusement that the other clone's neck had started flushing. "She _thanked_ me. She said that she hoped I was okay, and the others as well. It was...very kind."

At his words, Rex felt a rush of something that was like affection, but far, far stronger. Not only did Bren care for him but she cared for his brothers as well, which never ceased to surprise him for all that he should have been well-aware of the fact by now.

_I love you, Rex._

Did he love her?

It was the million-cred question. As much as he wanted to say the words back, he felt disingenuous if he didn't truly know that they was real, that he truly meant them. Sometimes he thought that he knew, but he wasn't one-hundred percent certain; he wanted to be certain, when it came to Brenna.

_When_, he'd said to her. Not _if_. He meant that, because he knew that it was a matter of time.

He just needed to think about it a little more, to make sure.

After a moment, Kix cleared his throat and shot Rex a knowing look. "Captain, you're to remain here until I clear you, and I don't want you even _thinking_ about putting any weight on that leg until the bacta has had a chance to do its job – another ten hours, at least."

"Kix-"

"No, Rex," the medic said, deliberately dropping the honorific, which was how Rex knew that he was about to get an earful. "You're under orders. You're _not_ to leave this bed until Coric or myself clear you, is that understood?"

Rex had been opening his mouth to object, but Kix silenced him with a very sharp glare that would have been worrisome had they been against one another on the battlefield. "Rex, if the next words out of your mouth are anything but 'yes, Kix,' I'll toss your _shebs_ back in the bacta tank faster than you can say 'five hundred and first.'"

There was a pause as Rex snapped his jaw shut, exhaled through his nose, then said: "Yes, Kix."

He couldn't resist adding a glower, but Kix's expression had smoothed again. The medic nodded and moved to step away, tossing his next words over his shoulder. "Get some rest, brother. You need it."

After sending another message to Brenna, letting her know he was still okay and – this time – coherent, Rex did just that. Perhaps he could sleep most of the next ten hours away.

* * *

_This is one of my favorite chapters; I love "post-battle" scenes, when everything is sort of relieved and quiet, and the Kix/Rex convo always makes me smile. Rex's message to Brenna is amusing as well, at least to me. :P Please let me know what you think. :)_

_As always, thank you for reading! :) Virtual hugs if you leave a review! :D_

_Next time: more aftermath of Derra IV, and a conversation with Appo._


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

When Rex's eyes opened again, it was to the sound of Appo's voice.

"I'm glad to see that you're still in one piece, Captain." The familiar 501st blue was something of a comfort to Rex's eyes, but the tone of the other man's voice was unsettling in a way that shouldn't have been, and Rex couldn't quite figure out just why it was so.

Bucket tucked in the crook of his arm, Appo considered the captain for a moment before adding: "Command was impressed with our work on Derra IV; there's word of another promotion for me."

Since he was still rather sore it hurt to move, but Rex managed to sit up so that he could speak with the other man. "I'm glad to hear that, Appo. You've earned it."

"You could have one too, sir," Appo said as his eyes fixed on Rex's face with something like hope. "If you'd allow it."

It was true; Rex had been offered promotions before – a number of times, actually – but he'd always turned them down because they always involved a transfer to another unit of the 501st. Leaving Torrent behind was unthinkable, and his loyalties had only become more firmly fixed on his men in recent months, despite the fact that the larger-scale brotherhood he'd always known seemed to be shrinking away to nothing.

"I'm fine where I am, lad," Rex replied with a shake of his head.

Dropping his eyes, Appo said nothing for a beat, and Rex was struck with the realization that the other clone's expression had shifted to one of regret, though after a moment Appo nodded and glanced over Rex and the bio-bed with an overly curious look. "You were the only one in the company who wound up here, weren't you, Captain?"

"I was. Thank the Force for that."

Appo made a noncommittal noise and nodded again, but the gesture was vague this time, as if his mind was far afield. Rex indicated the Spaarti clones who were spread through the room; by now it seemed that all of the dead men had been removed so only the living remained. "So many of them fell today, Appo, but they manage just fine with the training sims, from what I understand."

"Sims are just that," Appo replied with another shrug. "Simulations. Not reality, where things rarely go as planned, or even close to it. They aren't equipped for battle as you and I are because their strength is in their numbers."

Perhaps Rex's expression gave away more of his surprise than he'd meant, for the lieutenant shook his head and spoke with hesitation. "Sir, I know you haven't been around them as much as I have, but they're bred to be...expendable, in a sense."

For a moment Rex was speechless. Based on what he'd heard from Ahsoka and Kix, he'd formed an opinion that perhaps the Spaartis were..._off_ in some way, though he knew that Appo was working to bring them up to par. From what everyone could tell, Appo was failing.

Personally, Rex thought that it was because the way that the GAR kept bringing in more and more Spaartis seemed to suggest that those in charge preferred to replace the clones who'd fallen rather than see that those who survived received better training. It was beyond frustrating, but since the matter had been taken out of Rex's hands, he had to focus his attention on keeping the men who remained under his care alive and well.

But he'd had no idea, no idea at all, that the lieutenant's mindset was so...impersonal.

In the manner of most clones when speaking to a brother, Appo seemed to catch on to the captain's thoughts and he gave a shake of his head. "With respect, sir, they're fulfilling their purpose, just as we are. Surely you can understand that."

There was weariness in Appo's voice and the look in his eyes made Rex think that he'd admitted defeat – if only to himself – and accepted the Spaarti clones' supposed "expendable" nature in lieu of trying to get them to be _more_ than they were programmed to be, which – Rex thought – is what he would have done had he been in Appo's place. Even if it was a futile effort, it was worth it.

But Appo didn't seem to feel this way. This understanding saddened Rex beyond measure, while at the same time it strengthened his own resolve to ensure that his own brothers were never thought of in this callous fashion. It struck Rex that perhaps the younger clone had come seeking validation of a sort, for he had been put into a difficult position.

As if in confirmation of all of this, Appo spoke again, his tone almost pleading. "I know how this sounds, but you and I both know that some calls just aren't ours to make. Captain, it's not for us to say that things should be otherwise, nor is it our place to pass judgment on the way things are right now."

If Appo truly believed that the Spaartis were _expendable_, Rex knew that nothing he could bring himself to say would be a comfort to the lieutenant. That in mind, Rex held Appo's gaze for a beat before he replied. "I guess that's one way of looking at it."

He said nothing more after that. After another few moments, Appo gave a salute, then turned on his heel and exited the medbay. The moment he was gone, Rex exhaled and leaned back into the pillows, his eyes on the lights above his head as Appo's words circled through his brain. As he did so, the thought occurred to him that perhaps it really was too late for the rest of the army to be considered anything but cannon fodder.

_No_, he thought with a shake of his head._ All of our brothers are men, not drones. They're not expendable. _Every life mattered. It was not what he'd been trained to believe, but rather a truth he'd come to understand on his own and he didn't have it within him to think otherwise.

Despite this, he didn't think that there was anything he could do about the Spaartis, but Rex knew that for his _vode, _his brothers, he would never stop fighting.

* * *

By the time Kix cleared him to leave the medbay, Rex was chomping on the proverbial bit; of course he had a thousand things to do, all sorts of post-battle matters that had to be addressed, but as soon as he stepped out of the medbay in his off-duty fatigues, the very first thing he did was make his slightly limping way to Brenna's office. She'd messaged him while he was asleep, saying that she'd be working late, but he found that he couldn't wait until she was done with work to see her.

The moment that the office door slid open and he saw her familiar form standing on the other side of the threshold, it was as if something heavy and oppressive that had been sitting on his chest evaporated, and he exhaled in relief. She reached her arms around his waist and drew him into the small room without a word.

After a few breathless moments, after he'd tasted her and absorbed the scent that was wholly _Brenna,_ he smoothed back a few errant strands of hair that had found their way across her face. "I missed you."

"I can tell." She was grinning as she leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I missed you, too."

Rex glanced at her consoles and then back at her. "Are you busy? Is it alright if I stay here for a few minutes?"

"More than a few, I hope," she replied, watching as he eased himself into the extra chair that she always kept free of clutter now. "How bad is your leg? Didn't you need crutches or anything?"

He shook his head, watching as she slid into her customary place before her desk. "Not this time, happily." She didn't look convinced, so he patted his upper thigh and gave her a half-smile. "Takes more than a bit of metal to stop me, Bren."

At his words, she made a noncommittal noise, but he could still read the worry in her eyes. However, she nodded and glanced back at the myriad screens; for a moment he watched her work, noting the way that her fingertips flew over the streams of data that made no kriffing sense to him and thinking how thankful he was to have returned to her, again.

After a little while she paused in her work and reached into a drawer beside her to rummage through the contents. "I have something I've been meaning to give to you, if you'd like it," she said as she searched. "Something that Caith sent me...here you go."

She pulled out several sheets of flimsi and handed them to him. They appeared to be transferred images, likely from her datapad, for he recognized Iri's artwork at once; the scribbled lines of trees and mountains reminded him of the pics of Alderaan he'd seen both in Bren's office and her cabin. "I thought you might like a few to hang in your office," she added as he flipped through the pictures. "No offense, but it's kind of...bland in there."

Most of the pictures appeared to be landscapes, though there was one towards the end of the stack that caught his attention. It was of a large tree whose trunk took up most of the entire page; its leaves were several vibrant shades of green that looked suspiciously like tiny fingerprints, and the trunk itself was made up of swirling browns. In the branches, he could see splotches of yellow in a rough, circular shape, which he took to be the Alderaani sun.

It was messy; it was beautiful. He studied the fingerprints and idly skimmed his own index finger over one of the more distinct ones, noting the vast difference in size. The child who'd made this was a child of a clone and of Brenna. Even though Rex considered himself nothing like Tucker, he realized that, genetically, Irini could have been _his, _ had things been different.

It wasn't a thought, or a realization. It was a kick in the chest, aimed directly at his heart.

_His_ child.

Rex exhaled and tried to push the thought aside as a silly fantasy, because that's all it was. There was that _longing_ again, the one that he recognized as something that he'd felt in the presence of Cut and the other man's family; however, then it had been faint compared to _right now_, while his finger hovered over Iri's tiny prints.

Bren was quiet while he looked; after a moment he glanced at her and held up the tree. "This one...are you sure you don't want it?"

She shrugged, but he could see that she was pleased. "I have plenty, and you really do need _something_ in that office of yours."

Nodding, he set the tree to the side for him to take with him when he left. As he did so, he noticed a picture on her desk that he'd missed, somehow. Like many of the others, it was of Brenna and Iri, both of whom were grinning; in this one, the little girl was seated in her mother's lap and before both of them rested what he reckoned was a lifeday cake with a single candle at its center.

"This is nice," he said, reaching to pick it up and get a better look. "Her first lifeday?"

When Bren's eyes fell on the pic, he watched as regret crossed her face; her hand trembled as she took it from him and studied the image for a moment before replying. "Sort of...this is from the last time I saw her – right after I took this posting, about six months ago – which was quite a while from her actual birthday. The _Resolute _was close to Alderaan and I managed to sneak away for a few hours. Since I missed her real birthday, Caith and his wife threw another party so I could make it."

Rex felt his eyes widen as he looked back at the pic; now that he knew the story behind the image, he felt a pang of sympathy for the brown-haired woman sitting close to him. "It's been so long since you've seen her."

"I used up all of my leave after she was born," Brenna replied, eyes still on the picture in his hand. "Didn't I ever tell you?" He shook his head and she took a deep breath before continuing. "After I found out I was pregnant, I knew that I wanted to have the baby on Alderaan, but since we're only allotted a small bit of leave I needed to wait as long as possible before I left my posting on the _Temerity_."

She gave him a look that was supposed to be wry, but there was pain behind her eyes. "Iri arrived a bit sooner than I expected, so I had her in the medbay of the _Temerity,_ then spent about three months on Alderaan with Caith, getting her settled in."

"Three months?"

Brenna inhaled and nodded; he got the sense that she was fighting back a wave of sorrow, so he reached for her hand, squeezing it gently in a silent encouragement to continue. "It wasn't nearly enough time...but I had no other choice. I miss her," she added, shaking her head and looking at him. "More than I can say."

"I'm sorry," he replied, the sympathy he'd felt before joined by an accompanying sense of helplessness because there was nothing he could do that would ease this kind of pain. "I didn't mean to bring all this up..."

"No, it's important for you to know," she said with a faint smile. "Iri's my life, even when I'm so far away from her."

There was a pause as she watched him set the pic back on her desk, then she gave a small shake of her head. "She arrived about three weeks early. I was worried, but the med-droid did very well and there were no complications during her birth, which was a blessing. Unless," she added with a tired laugh. "You don't count twenty-two hours of labor as a complication."

Rex felt his jaw unhinge as he gaped at her. "Twenty-two hours...? That's how long it took Iri to be born?" At her nod he leaned back in his chair, his mind reeling with the implications. "I never thought...I mean...it seems like it should be...faster."

When she heard this, Brenna chuckled and squeezed his hand. "Thankfully, I don't remember much of the pain after the drugs started working; what I _do_ remember is that it hurt like hell before that, and how terrified I was. And I remember wishing that Caith or Edme could have been with me, but they weren't able to make it to the _Temerity_ in time."

As she mentioned her brother and sister-in-law, she did not say Tucker's name, but Rex thought he could hear the words anyway, and something dark and angry coiled within him at the thought. "So you were alone?"

"The med-droid was there," she replied with a shrug, but Rex was already shaking his head.

"Tinnies don't count."

Another chuckle escaped her at this, though it was somewhat forced. "Then yes, Rex. I was alone." She was quiet for a moment, then began to toy with the hem of her shirt with her free hand as she continued. "It didn't matter by the end because I was so exhausted, and the moment she was in my arms everything else fell away. She was...perfect. She _is_ perfect."

Brenna gave a sigh as her grip in his hand relaxed just a bit and her gaze became distant. "And later...the first time her eyes opened and looked at me...I became someone new, someone _better_ than I was before she came into my life. It's hard to explain," she added, shooting him an unreadable look. "She makes me want to be _better, _all the time. So while I do wish that I'd had someone there, someone whose hand I could have held, it worked out in the end."

Still trying to wrap his mind around what he'd learned, Rex knitted his brows as he glanced at their joined hands. "Why did you want to hold someone's hand?"

"Because it hurt so much," she replied, her voice soft. "And I was so scared...I just..." She blinked and shook her head. "It would have been nice to squeeze someone's hand. I think I would have felt less alone, maybe been less afraid, even if the other person couldn't have done anything but be with me."

Here she gave a light chuckle, though she was still blinking rapidly. "I would have probably broken Caith's hand if he'd made it there, anyway. I'm pretty sure I had a death-grip on the bio-bed's railing."

Something in her words struck him, so Rex lifted up their joined hands and nodded to her querying look. "Squeeze," he said to her.

"What?"

"As hard as you can," he urged, eying her hand with intensity. "I want to see something. Come on, Bren...don't hold back."

After a moment he felt pressure from her hand in his, hard enough so that her fingers tightened around his palm and he could see her arm trembling with the strain of her effort. She had a pretty decent grip; he could have outmatched it had he wanted to, but that wasn't the point, because Brenna's story had made him realize something.

On the battlefield he was surrounded by brothers, with support by the Jedi and the rest of the GAR; at rest on the _Resolute _or on an Republic base, he was still close to other people. While on missions of any kind, he at least had a few others with him – even Coric had been with him on Teth. Hell, even in the relative privacy of his office he was never more than a comm away from his brothers. Even in the depths of his dreams and nightmares, there were other clones.

The understanding struck him that in all his days, he had never been completely alone, not like she'd been, and he felt a strange mixture of pride and sorrow: one for her strength and the other for what she'd had to endure on her own.

After a few moments he nodded and she released his grip, sitting back in her chair with an amused look as he made a show of rubbing his hand. "Not bad," he said with a raised brow. "But I'd be okay, I think."

"What do you mean?"

Rex took a breath and reached for her again; he slid his chair so that his was wedged as close as possible beside hers and met her eyes as he spoke. "Bren, what Tucker did...I wouldn't have left-"

"I know," she replied, blinking. "Rex, I know you wouldn't have."

"But it wouldn't be because of obligation or some sense of duty," he continued, feeling his mouth grow dry, because he knew what he was going to say, and because all of a sudden he was terrified. "It would be because I _wanted_ to be there, for our child, for you, and for _us _– for the family that we'd be making. It would be because I love you, Bren."

With that, he reached his free hand to cup her cheek, working to ignore the way his heart was hammering against his ribs and trying to muddle his thoughts. "I don't know much right now, but I know that whenever I'm away from you, all I want is to be with you again. I know that we're taking precautions to make sure that you don't get pregnant, but if you did – I know that I'd be happy. Terrified, but overjoyed as well, because I love you, and if it were up to me, I'd never spend another second away from your side."

Her lips parted but no sound came out; finally, she gave a sharp inhale, then extracted herself from his grip she she could fully embrace him, coming out of her chair and nearly falling into his lap as she did so. In return, Rex wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her as close to himself as he was able and drinking in her scent, memorizing the feel of her body against his own and savoring it all.

After a moment she pulled back and tilted her face up to him, her eyes wide with joy. "Say it again?"

Why had it been so difficult to say, before? He'd known all along – he _must_ have known, somewhere in his mind – and he thought that she had as well, which was why she'd never pressured him to reply sooner.

"I love you, Brenna Damaris," he replied with a smile, though it was mostly at himself and at his prior reticence, because now the words fell out of his mouth with ease. She grinned back at him as he said it again and again, until the words faded to a whisper, then to nothing at all when he pulled her into another kiss.

* * *

_Yay! Finally! It took him long enough..._

_Next time: an interesting conversation with Anakin and...other stuff. (Vague enough for you?)_

_Thanks for reading! :)  
_


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

Several days later, Rex was in the tactical room of the _Resolute _when General Skywalker found him. The Jedi moved almost silently, but Rex had trained his ear to pick up even the smallest of sounds; when he caught the familiar cadence of the general's boots, he glanced up from the readout of Bimmisaari he'd been studying and offered a salute to his CO. Nodding, the sandy-haired Jedi approached the holo-proj, and they stood together, watching the slowly rotating image of the planet that had recently fallen under Seppie control.

After a few moments, Skywalker shot the clone captain a glance. "How's it going, Rex?"

"The refugees from Bimmisaari have all been accounted for, sir," he replied at once, indicating the readout of the planet's surface. "In the nick of time, too, as their colony was overrun with clankers by the time we were ready to bang out."

A faint chuckle from the Jedi made Rex's brow lift. "I meant with _you_, Rex. Personally." At Rex's look of surprise, Skywalker elaborated. "I've heard...talk that you've found a special _someone_."

_Talk? _What kind of talk? Of course his men gossiped nonstop, but Rex had been fairly certain that specific details of his personal life had not reached the upper echelons of command. Ahsoka knew some of it, but she was not in the habit of spreading gossip. Nevertheless, he figured he ought to say something in reply.

However, when Rex opened his mouth no words came out, which made the general chuckle again. A knowing look on his face, Skywalker nudged Rex's armored side with his elbow. "Man-to-man: you're...er...being safe, right?"

"_What_?" Flummoxed, Rex didn't even think to add the customary "sir;" indeed, all he seemed capable of doing was slamming his jaw shut so that he wouldn't sputter in confusion – any more than he already had, of course.

Skywalker gave a thoughtful frown, the kind which Rex could never tell if it was serious or not, no matter how long he'd spent in this particular Jedi's company. "I hope I don't have to explain _that_ to you."

This was too much. Way, _way_ too much. Rex shook his head rapidly, perhaps more than was necessary. "Er...no, sir. No instruction necessary about..._that_." _Shab, that sounded idiotic. _

In response, Skywalker chortled and slapped the captain's armored shoulder. "Relax, Rex. For kriff's sake...I'm just kidding."

Almost immediately, the other man grew quiet and solemn as he continued to study the clone; the strength of Skywalker's eyes on him gave Rex the uncomfortable impression that the Jedi was peering directly into his brain. Finally Skywalker cleared his throat and glanced back at the readout of Bimmisaari, still rotating before them. "I should tell you, though..."

He trailed off, grimacing, and Rex felt his own curiosity spiking despite the fact that he was less-than thrilled with the intense, personal turn that the conversation had taken. "Sir?"

Skywalker sighed and shook his head. "It's the hardest thing you'll ever do, Rex. Love someone, I mean."

With this, he cast the captain a look that was unlike any Rex had ever seen; he seemed...vulnerable, almost. It was passing strange, as Rex had seen this Jedi take down legions of droids with just a wave of his hand. He'd seen Skywalker battle countless foes, seen the expression of battle-fervor take a hold of him where it should have been kept at bay by calm control, as was the case with Jedi like General Kenobi. He'd seen this man mete out death and destruction like he was born to it.

But he'd never seen him look quite so scared.

Except, Rex realized suddenly, a handful of times; if he cast his memory back, each occasion had one thing in common, one person whose life was at stake. _Senator Amidala. _Of course; the pieces were all there, waiting to be fit together. Rex tried to keep his face from revealing his thoughts and instead focused on his feelings for Brenna so that the Jedi wouldn't pick up that the secret was out.

Given the general's next words, it must have worked.

"It's even more difficult than being a Jedi," Skywalker added, shaking his head and frowning, the look of fear dissipating instantly, replaced with conviction. "But it's worth it. Love is worth every bit of hardship a man can face, because loving someone – and having them love you back – it makes you stronger, Rex. Makes you _better. _Gives you something real to fight for, something to help you find your way when everything else around you is dark."

His mind reeling from the implications of what he was hearing, Rex was only able to respond with a meager, "Sir?"

The Jedi gave a sigh, and shook his head. "Nevermind. Rex...look, just forget all of that; I'm tired, I guess. Anyway, all I wanted to say that I'm...happy for you. Whoever she is, she's a lucky lady."

There was silence for a moment, then Rex nodded and met the Jedi's eyes when he spoke. "Thank you, Anakin."

Another pause, then the general's face transformed again, revealing a cocky smirk as the other man patted his saber-hilt, resting on his belt. "I was also glad to hear about this, because I used to think that you were angling for my Padawan."

Despite the jovial words, there was the faintest threatening edge to the Jedi's tone, heightened as Rex watched his gloved hands brush the weapon at his side. Even so, the captain was able to keep his reply light. "Not on your life, General."

* * *

Later that evening, Brenna was seated cross-legged on her bunk, freshly showered and preparing to watch a vid that Caith had sent her, when the door to her cabin opened; since Marliss was at work, she knew that there was only one other person who had the lock-code. With a smile, she sat up as Rex entered her room, locking the panel behind him before he stepped over to her. Brenna leaned up on her knees; Rex knelt down, and they kissed a greeting.

Neither one said anything for a few moments, until he pulled back so that he could set his bucket down on the edge of her bed; after rolling his shoulders – giving the slightest wince as he did so – he sat beside her and began to remove his armored plating, nodding to the datapad. "Is that from your brother?"

"It is," she replied, activating the playback and rested the datapad in her lap. "But I don't know..."

Her words trailed off as Iri appeared, giving a toothy grin as she waved into the holo-camera. _"Hi, Mama!"_

In the background, Brenna could hear her brother gently directing the little girl as she began to hold up an assortment of pictures that she'd drawn and painted. Each one was explained in great detail, with Caith asking Iri to describe the colors, as the transmission threw everything into a blue wash. As she watched the recording, Brenna held herself very still because with each word from her daughter, her own heart seemed to tighten with longing.

Suddenly, something warm reached across both of her shoulders; Rex had removed most of his armor and had slid closer to her, pulling her to his side. Without a thought, she leaned her head against his shoulder and they watched the rest of Iri's message in silence.

It wasn't a particularly lengthy recording. When it ended – with Iri waving again, saying _"bye, Mama! Love you!" _– Brenna took a few deep breaths to collect herself. She leaned up and cast a grateful look at Rex, who'd been watching with unabashed interest.

"She'd be wasted as a tree," he said after a moment, looking down at her. "I think she'd make a better artist."

This made Brenna laugh; she nodded and sat up farther, smoothing back her hair and smiling at him. "Me too."

He gave her a half-smile, then rose to remove the last of his armored pieces that remained on his legs. As he did so, she rubbed at her wrists – sometimes they ached after long hours of data-input – and watched him. "How was your day?"

"Strange," he said, glancing her way once he'd stacked his armor in its customary place beside her bunk. "I had an...interesting conversation with General Skywalker."

"Interesting, how?"

He paused, then lifted a brow at her. "He wanted to talk to me about my personal life."

Brenna felt her mouth fall open a little bit in surprise, but she shut it abruptly. "What? Why?"

The bunk shifted as he sat down again, and once more when he reached forward and drew her wrists closer to him; as he spoke, he frowned down at her skin before he began to rub small circles – with just the right amount of pressure – over the areas that she'd been favoring. "It's not really a secret about you and I," he began. "I think he just wanted to offer some advice, in his own way."

Force, he was good at this. The tight ache in her muscles was loosening beneath his touch, and she fought to keep her eyes from rolling back in her head. "Advice?"

Rex exhaled and she felt his breath warm against her skin. "It started with what I believe was going to be a 'safety' talk," he said, giving her a knowing look when she glanced at him, alarmed again. In response, he shifted his touch to her fingers, starting with the base of each and moving up to the tips, causing her eyelids to flutter. "But since I'm – thankfully – well-versed in that area he...told me about love. How's that? Better?"

He'd released her hands; she was still tingling from his touch, so much so that it was an effort to speak normally. "I thought that Jedi weren't allowed to love? Your turn. Turn around."

As he did so, he frowned, the expression indicating nothing so much as consideration, though his eyes closed when she slid open the fastenings of his body-glove at his back, moved the black fabric aside and began to knead his shoulders. "In my experience, the Jedi are just as susceptible to emotions as anyone else..."

He trailed off as she found a collection of knots in his right shoulder-blade, and began to work them loose, pressing her palms against his warm skin and rubbing small, tight circles to relieve the pressure.

"Maybe," she said after a moment, trying not to chuckle when something popped under her touch, causing Rex to exhale and drop his head forward. "But they seem so...aloof, you know? Separate and distant. Admittedly, I haven't worked with them as closely as you have."

"They're mortal," he managed to say, though his words were halting as she found another spot of tension in his neck and focused on relieving it. "All-too mortal. They...make...mistakes..."

When she leaned back, he heaved a sigh and turned to regard her; his body-glove was hanging off of his frame in an odd, haphazard manner, making him look a uncharacteristically unkempt. Brenna couldn't help but smile at him as she added: "And they fall in love, I guess. At least, Skywalker does."

Rex made an ambiguous noise in the back of his throat and reached for her, drawing her close into a kiss. When they parted she cleared her throat. "I was thinking about sneaking some food in from the mess. Are you hungry?"

The half-smile that he gave her was filled with intent. "Very."

* * *

_Two weeks later..._

If nothing else, Brenna thought that her aim had improved, though she attributed the fact entirely to Rex's patient instruction rather than any natural ability with a blaster.

"Good shot, Bren." Marliss sounded impressed, and when Brenna glanced over to where her roommate and Fives were standing in the practice-room, she noted that the other woman wore a look of admiration.

Fives, who'd been hovering by Marliss, let out a low whistle. "Not bad – for a civvie."

Even though it was often difficult for them to find time to be alone together, Rex had made it a point to see that she practiced with the blaster as much as she was able, in addition to the unarmed self-defense lessons. While she hadn't been a fan of the lessons in the beginning, Brenna found that she felt a certain kind of satisfaction in knowing that she could shoot relatively straight and disable a grown man with only her bare hands. Or try to, anyway.

But Rex was patient, always. And while she enjoyed the more romantic aspects of their relationship, there was something incredibly endearing about his desire to make sure she knew how to protect herself. As was always the case with him, actions, not words, were the things that revealed his true self.

Even so, his admission of a few weeks ago still made her grin like an idiot, every time she heard the words.

Apparently, the lessons were paying off. The target she'd been aiming for was now sporting a scorch-mark near its center, evidence of her increasing comfort with the weapon, so she glanced at Rex with a raised brow. "What do you think?"

"Two inches to the left and you'd have had it," he replied, and she could read the satisfaction in his eyes as he nodded. "A marked improvement."

"Much better than Mar over here," Fives added with a nudge at Marliss' side as he indicated her target, which was empty of scorch-marks...unlike the wall behind it, which had more than a few.

The blonde woman arched her brow at the clone. "I can aim when it counts, ARC boy."

"Yeah, don't remind me," Fives replied with a grimace as he stepped away from her. "I don't want to think what you'd do to me if I ever truly pissed you off."

Brenna missed Marliss' reply, as in that moment her comlink began to buzz; when she pulled it out of her pocket, she noted that the display indicated that there was an incoming holo-transmission from Alderaan. Her brow furrowed even as her throat went dry. Had something happened at home? Was Iri okay? Frowning, she took a few steps away from the others and activated the message, only dimly noting the fact that Rex was tracking her movements.

When Tucker's familiar image bloomed before her, all other thoughts fled from her mind and she had trouble understanding just how and why his Katarn-armored figure was seated at Caith and Edme's kitchen table. "Tucker?"

At her hushed exclamation, Rex was at her side, Fives and Marliss having remained in the distance but probably listening to every word. However, she hardly noticed because a strange sort of dread had began to curl inside of her; she knew with certainty that whatever was going to pass from this moment was not going to be good.

There was a pause, and she couldn't tell if it was the connection or if Tucker was hesitating; she watched as his eyes flicked to Rex and narrowed slightly, but when he spoke his gaze was on her completely. _"Bren."_

"Why are you on Alderaan?" There were too many questions, but she figured this was as good a place as any to start.

"_I need to talk to you. Alone." _The last word was said with a pointed look towards Rex.

Beside her, she could practically _feel_ Rex frowning, but she kept her eyes on the commando before her. "What's going on, Tucker? Just tell me now."

"_No, it needs to be in person,"_ he added, shaking his head. _"Bren, I need to talk to you face-to-face. I think you should come here."_

Heat and ice warred within her veins, as if she couldn't decide whether to be angry or frightened. "That's ridiculous, Tucker. You know I can't leave the _Resolute_."

Tucker gave a sigh that was – she thought – a little pained; however, in the next moment he straightened and seemed to steel his gaze. _"I wish you would,"_ he said in a calm voice that was too deliberate to be genuine. _"There's a lot I want to talk to you about."_

Fear began to take over, evidenced by the fact that something cold was stirring within her gut and the way that her throat felt tight. "Where's Caith? Let me speak with him."

At this, Tucker shrugged and glanced around the kitchen with a casual motion before looking back at her._ "No one's home right now but me; I did a brief recon of the place last night and let myself in this morning. By the way, our daughter is so beautiful," _he added with a deep sigh and a smile, the kind that used to make her heart stutter. _"She looks just like you, but I can see a bit of myself in her as well."_

"Tucker...what are you saying?" It was an effort to keep her voice calm, but she managed somehow; within, however, she was filled with roiling emotion that continued to sway from fury to fear. Rex put his hand on her arm, which was when she realized she was shaking.

The commando shook his head._ "I've already said it, Bren. I want you to come here, to Alderaan. I want to talk to you, and I want to see you and Iri together, because we have to figure this out, one way __or another."_

"Tucker...you can't do this," she replied, her voice trembling. Rex slid his hand down and squeezed her fingers as she continued. "It's not a game. You can't just demand that I drop _everything_ and come see you...I don't-"

"_I _know_ it's not a game, Bren,"_ he said with another shake of his head. _"But _you_ need to know how I feel, because this is too important to me to just let it go. I have to try to make you understand."_

"Tucker-"

"_I'll see you soon, Brenna." _

The transmission died.

* * *

_[laloga ducks as readers start hurling rotten veggies her way] To quote the Bard: "The course of true love never did run smooth." _

_Next time: Bren's got a choice to make._

_Thank you for reading! Don't forget to let me know what you think so far! ;)_


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One**

For a moment she was frozen in place, despite the fact that her heart was beating remarkably fast and her breath was short. Then she heard Rex's voice, quiet but heavy with alarm. "Bren?"

Fives and Marliss had forgone any semblance of allowing privacy, and had gathered around her and Rex as well; her roommate put a hand on her shoulder. "You look like you're about to pass out...do you need to sit down?"

"I have to go," Brenna said suddenly, giving a small shake of her head. "I have to go home..."

"Is Tucker a threat to your daughter?" Rex's words were dark.

This broke Brenna out of her trance; she looked at the man she loved and frowned in consideration. "No. Even though I don't know what he's playing at right now, he was never cruel or violent. He's just..."

"Desperate."

The word hit so close to home. She remembered the feeling well and she nodded, watching Rex's jaw tighten. All of a sudden there was too much to do and she hardly knew where to start. "I have to talk to my supervisor," she said after a moment. "Maybe I can beg off some more time...something. I don't know...I have to pack, and try to charter a ship...and Caith! I have to call him..."

Marliss squeezed her shoulder. "Go see your supervisor and call Caith on the way. I'll start packing your things." She glanced at Fives, who nodded; together they hurried toward the exit, and Brenna idly wondered when they'd gotten so close.

"What can I do?" It wasn't Rex's voice, but rather the warm press of his fingers as they laced with hers that brought her mind back to the present.

"Come with me?" she asked after a moment. "Not to her office, but maybe on the turbolift ride...for moral support."

Without a word he nodded and they began to make for the nearest 'lift, outside the practice-room; once they were on their way to her work-sector, she called Caith, then Edme. Receiving no answer, she sent them each a quick message to relate what was going on – adding that she didn't want any authorities involved. It had occurred to her that Tucker had defected; if so, she had no wish to see him carted off to Kamino...or find out just how far a desperate man could be pushed.

After she did so, Rex shot her a look that was probably meant to be very calm, but she could see the agitation in the lift of his pulse. "Do you think he'll try to...take her away?"

Brenna's throat caught at first, but after a moment she shook her head. "I don't think so, Rex. But to be honest...I don't know him that well. We only knew each other for about six months before I got pregnant and he left; before that, it was..." Her cheeks grew warm and she swallowed. "It was very casual."

Rex glanced back at the panel of the 'lift. "I didn't realize..."

"Of all the people in the galaxy I could have chosen to be linked to for the rest of my life," she said suddenly, tugging his hand just a little so that he turned and met her eyes. "Tucker isn't on the list. Not even close. Rex, I never felt...I never loved him. I might have liked him – a lot – but it wasn't real. It wasn't like _this_."

His fingers were still laced with hers, and she held up their joined hands. "It wasn't love."

He gave a quiet exhale and nodded, but said nothing else; just then, the doors opened and she was faced with a long hallway, stretched out before her. "I can take it from here; I'll be back at my cabin as soon as I can," she said as she stepped out of the 'lift. "Will you...?"

"I'll meet you there," he replied with a nod. He seemed to consider something, then reached for her, giving her a fierce kiss against her mouth; the action seemed to say that he held no grudge against her for the mistakes of her past that were still catching up with her, it seemed. However, while she welcomed the kiss and the meaning behind it, it also served to remind her of what she could lose if things went badly, as she suspected they might.

The kiss ended and she moved away from him, turning to hurry down the corridor, alone.

* * *

Once she was gone, Rex activated the 'lift panel, setting it for her level. Once he felt the thing moving, he leaned back against the wall and rubbed at his forehead, because he figured that he knew what was going to happen. She'd said that she had no more leave; she'd said that civilian contractor jobs were highly sought-after, with many folks looking to earn a good bit of cash in exchange for work that wasn't terribly difficult.

Rex knew very well what she had not voiced: if Brenna left the _Resolute_, she might not be able to return.

As the 'lift hummed beneath his back, he tried to shake the thought away. It was speculation, at best. Perhaps there was some kind of contingency that the GAR offered in case of a family emergency...worrying would serve no purpose other than to upset himself and her; he knew that she needed to focus all of her attention on what was best for her daughter, not what _he_ wanted.

Where Brenna was concerned, her daughter came first. It was something that he understood: caring for something – someone – more than you cared for yourself. It was also one of the things he loved about the brown-haired woman: her resolve to give her child the best possible life, despite the odds that either of them faced.

But if she left...

Well, it would hurt like hell, and he knew that losing her would bring about a kind of pain that he didn't know how to combat.

It was growing difficult to breathe, so Rex forced himself to seek out his battle-coolness that had served him so well in the past. He refused to give into the thrumming anxiety that was welling within him because he needed to be strong for her; on top of everything else, it would be that much harder for Brenna if she knew that _he_ was close to breaking-

_Useless_. Rex gave in and slammed his fist into the wall of the 'lift with enough force to create a small dent. While the stinging in his hand didn't solve any of his problems, at least the pain gave him something else to focus on, and the dent he'd left brought a tiny measure of satisfaction.

When the turbolift paused at her floor, Rex tried to swallow his apprehension as he hurried to the room that she and Marliss shared, punching in the lock code without a thought. Inside, Fives and Marliss had been true to their word, and were in the process of packing a suitcase and canvas backpack with a variety of clothing and other items. Well, more to the point, Marliss was packing and Fives appeared to be offering assistance where he could, which seemed to include staying out of the way and handing her things that she requested.

As Rex entered the room, they each froze. "She's with her supervisor now," he said before either of them could ask.

Marliss nodded, then gestured to the wall behind Brenna's bunk, where a multitude of pictures were hanging. "I don't want to pack _everything_ until we know for certain..." She trailed off and shot Rex a sympathetic look.

_Until we know if she's coming back. _Rex nodded and scanned the wall, taking in the various pics; mostly they were of Brenna's daughter, but there were several with images of Alderaan, of sweeping mountains and wide, grassy plains surrounded by dense forests. His gaze lingered on one in particular that featured a craggy mountain in the background, with an azure-colored lake in the foreground, surrounded on all sides by verdant growth. Upon closer inspection, he could make out small shapes at one edge of the sky – some type of thranta, he reckoned – in addition what appeared to be a structure in the distance.

It was a beautiful place, wild-looking and windswept, and for one moment he was struck with a mental image of himself, Bren and Iri, walking along the side of the lake. He imagined that the air would be cool – especially with the wind – but that the sun would be warm on their backs and on their hands, which would be joined.

Perhaps it was a fantasy, especially with the way things were looking now, but suddenly Rex_wanted_ that image to be real more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life. In the past, he'd never allowed himself to expend much energy on idle fantasies because they were just that: fantasies. There was no place for such things in his world, where so much was dependent on his attention being solely on his duty; for someone like him, a longing for things that could never be was merely a distraction, an impediment to his job, and as such could cause much more harm than good in the next battle.

The thought occurred to him that his former "crush" on Ahsoka had been a way to cope with this aspect of his life. Back when he'd harbored romantic feelings for the young Commander, even in the deepest corners of his mind, even on the rare occasion when he'd allow himself a moment of fantasy, he'd never truly believed that _something _could – or ever would – happen between himself and Ahsoka.

Jedi Code and their differing ranks aside...it was widely known that Togruta and Humans could not successfully reproduce. Even if on the wild, off-chance that a relationship between himself and Ahsoka could have happened, they never would have been able to have a family.

From where Rex stood now, caring for Ahsoka would have been much easier than loving Brenna, with whom he _could _have a such a thing.

A family.

Something inside Rex fractured even as the understanding bloomed; suddenly, it was as if years of denying himself even idle fantasies had caught up with him so that the things he _wanted _– the things he'd never allowed himself to want – filled his entire being, completely and totally. But it was not a fierce, fiery longing like passion, because it was bigger, better, _more._ It was too much for one man to contain. It was pervasive, complete and all-encompassing, and he realized at once that _this_ was what he desired: a future with the woman he loved and her daughter, a future that he could work to shape into a family.

As the realization swept over him, the GAR started to feel more and more like a dream, while the ideals he'd once fought for seemed so far away, smaller and less tangible than even the tiny creatures in the picture.

"That's Zephyr Mountain," Marliss said, pulling him out of his reverie, making him blink at her in surprise. "It's where Bren grew up. I think her mother still lives there."

"It's lovely," he replied, even though the words felt small when coupled with the magnificence of the image and what it contained. "She's told me a little bit about it, before."

The blonde woman nodded, then gave him another look that was filled with sympathy. Her mouth opened, but before she could speak the door to the cabin hissed open, and Brenna stepped inside. No one spoke as she activated the lock, nor as she turned to face them. The moment that her eyes met Rex's he knew that the news wasn't good, and he was torn between wanting to punch something again and wanting to embrace her; he chose the latter, crossing the room in a few strides and pulling her close.

"It's not as bad as it could be," she said after taking a deep breath as if to calm herself before looking up to meet his eyes. "Since I don't have any type of leave, I was told that I'd have to essentially quit my post on this ship, and then reapply for the position later; the odds of me getting back on the _Resolute _are slim, but since I have experience in combat situations, like on Ithor-" she added, nodding to Fives. "-the GAR will likely see fit to put me on another ship. I just don't know if I can come back to this one."

"That's not so bad," Fives said in a hopeful voice. "It's better than an outright 'no,' isn't it? There's a chance."

"And you can still keep your job with the army," Marliss added. "You won't be walking away from that, at least."

Still in Rex's arms, Brenna glanced around the room at the bags her friends had packed, then shot a smile at Fives and Marliss. "Thanks for your help guys, but I think I have it from here."

"Sure, Bren," Marliss replied with a nod, though she hesitated in the next moment. "When are you leaving?"

Rex felt the movement of her body as she sighed. "Tomorrow morning a transport that was scheduled to drop off some supplies is going to give me a ride to the nearest GAR base; from there, I'll be able to charter a flight back to Alderaan."

Tomorrow morning. It was about when he'd been expecting, but it was too soon, nonetheless. Several minutes later, after Fives and Marliss had slipped out, Bren leaned against his armored chest and inhaled as if she was drinking in his scent. When she spoke her voice was hardly a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Rex."

His arms were still around her; they tightened at her words. "There's nothing to apologize for. Your daughter should always come first, and I know how much you miss being away from her. But..." He frowned and ducked his head so that he could smell her hair. "I'm going to miss you."

At this she pulled back a little so that she could look up at him. "I'll modify some comlinks so we can send each other transmissions," she said. "And I'll do everything in my power to get back to the _Resolute_ when I get the mess with Tucker straightened out."

The words seeded an idea in his mind, and he gave a nod as he considered. Perhaps he could approach Ahsoka, ask her if there was anything that the Padawan could do or say that would ease Brenna's return to the ship. He'd never really asked much of her, and as a friend, he hoped that she would be willing to help. He thought she would understand, at least.

But it was a long-shot and he didn't want to raise Brenna's hopes, so he brushed his fingertips to her cheek instead, thinking how soft she was, how she was unlike anything he'd ever touched. "So we have a night, at least. And you're pretty much packed, except for some pictures and other odds and ends."

"Keep the pictures," she said, still holding his eyes with hers. "If you want them, that is. I won't need them back at home."

He nodded, then leaned down to kiss her. It was easy to get lost in the action but he knew that it was only a temporary relief; even so, he didn't stop until much later when they were both able to find a few hours of sleep in each other's arms.

* * *

_Lots of stuff going on!_

_Yes, Tucker is playing the jerk-card pretty heavily, but he does have his reasons. He's a desperate man, and desperate men can only be pushed so far before they begin to fracture. It was very tricky to balance the threat that he provided with Bren's decision. I needed him to offer enough of a reason for her to leave the _Resolute_, but not so much that she'd call the cops on him - does that make sense? Hopefully it does. :P  
_

_Next time: It's Rex's turn to make a choice..._

_Thank you all for reading! :)_


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

The next morning Rex accompanied her to the hangar; he knew that they probably made an odd sight, as Bren was dressed in her normal civilian garb while he was wearing his armor, but he was long past caring about anything like that. Aside from the deck officer, there were a few clones about – mostly Spaartis, but he nodded to one of the boys from Torrent – but otherwise, the bay was quiet. As they waited for her transport to arrive, she handed him one of the comlinks she'd tweaked, which he stowed in his belt for safekeeping.

"You heard from your brother, right?" he asked as he did so.

She nodded. "He rushed home after he got my message, but neither he nor Edme have seen Tucker; I think he's keeping a low profile until I get there. Caith also said that he notified the Alderaani security force, but they haven't been able to locate Tucker, either."

Rex tried to keep his tone even, but he thought that he was failing because a scowl crossed his face as he spoke again. "Why don't you don't want to call the GAR authorities?"

"Because if _they_ find Tucker, they'll send him to Kamino," she replied with a shake of her head. "And despite everything else...Rex, I can't do that to him. He's foolish, he's selfish, but he doesn't deserve to be...reconditioned."

As she said the word she gave a shiver, so Rex put his arm around her shoulders, exhaling deeply and trying to dispel his sorrow. It didn't work. A moment later she looked at him again. "I was also thinking...he won't stop, Rex. If I don't deal with him now, there's no telling what he'll do next. Even though I don't really think he'll do anything more drastic _right now,_ that may not be the case in the future if I brush him off again."

_I'll bet I could change that _di'kut's_ attitude if I got a hold of him, _Rex thought with a tightening of his jaw, but he kept the angry words to himself and dropped his hand to hers, lacing their fingers together. So he could feel the warmth of her skin, he'd left off his gloves for now, thinking he'd replace them later. After. For a few minutes they stood in silence, hands joined, then she glanced his way with trepidation in her eyes. He watched as her lips parted but no sound came out. "Bren, what is it?"

She swallowed, but kept her gaze on him. "If you wanted to, you could...come with me." At his look of surprise she took a breath and continued. "I know that you have duties here, a responsibility to your men and a life with the GAR, but I wanted to make sure you know that – if you chose – you could come with me to Alderaan. I think that Iri would love you," she added with a faint smile, her eyes flickering to his bucket that was clipped to his belt. "She loves the color blue."

His mouth opened in preparation for the protests that were forthcoming. She was right; his life was _here. _Had always been and would always be.

However...

Casting his mind back to the pic of Alderaan, Rex considered what life would be like if he chose to leave; he could spend every day with the woman he loved and her daughter, the daughter of a clone, the child who shared his own genetic structure, so much so that he thought that he could – perhaps, one day – consider her to be his own. He could wake up beside Bren every morning and go to sleep beside her each night. He wouldn't have to kill for a living, wouldn't have to spend what time he'd been allotted fighting an increasingly desperate war that – if he was brutally honest – made less and less sense to him each day.

It would be a sacrifice, no doubt, but the idea was less troubling than it had once been. Much of his admittedly youthful idealism had faded in recent months, and he found the thought of desertion did not make him as uneasy as it once had. It was _his_ life, after all. His _choice_.

There was much pain surrounding the idea of leaving his brothers, but he thought that pain was a part of life; certainly it was a part of love. Caring for someone or something so much was bound to hurt, sometimes. That much he'd learned.

The question, he supposed, seemed to be was it a pain he could live with?

Of course there were penalties for desertion but there were also ways around them. Cut had found one, after all, which made Rex think that perhaps one clone in a few million wouldn't be missed. Granted, Cut had been a raw trooper at the time of his desertion, while Rex was a widely-recognized, veteran officer; his absence would be noted and investigated, but Rex had no illusions that he was irreplaceable. Appo's recent rise in the command structure had indicated as much, and the Spaarti clones had shown him how the Republic viewed soldiers who were willing to lay down their lives for the greater good. Expendable, all of them.

But here was a woman who loved him, who was willing to take on his demons as well as her own, who made him happy and for whom he could return the favor. She was real, she was warm, and she was looking at him with something that was like hope, matched as it was by uncertainty of his answer.

What he shared with Brenna was worth fighting for, to his last breath.

Something inside his heart began to hitch, because he was racing to a conclusion that he had not expected and it was frightening in many ways. He cast a brief glance around the hangar, considering. He could accompany her, say it was on orders. It was entirely conceivable that he could just walk away with no one being the wiser for several hours, long enough to give them time to figure something out.

It wouldn't last long and it wouldn't be easy, but it would be possible.

A soft noise to his right drew his attention, and he glanced over to see one of his men – Tup, actually – stepping into the hangar for his duty rotation. Glancing at Rex and Brenna, Tup gave a sharp salute, then turned to greet the previous deck officer for whom he'd be taking over, which was when Rex's nebulous idea dissipated.

Perhaps he did have a choice, but he also had a duty to his men, to his brothers. Rex knew at once that he could walk away from the Republic, from the GAR, from the War itself...but he could not walk away from his brothers.

_Vode an. _It echoed with each beat of his heart, as much a part of him as his blood, as his breath and bones.

When Rex looked back at Brenna, he saw at once that his hesitation had been answer enough. The faint hope that she'd allowed to show had fled, and she was looking at him with a sorrow that she was trying to hide behind a soft smile.

"It's okay," she said as the whine of a transport sounded, signifying the vessel's approach. "I didn't think that you would leave your brothers. I just wanted you to know that you have a place with me and Iri, no matter what."

Despite the steady cadence of her words, her voice was trembling. He knew there was nothing he could do that would truly set either of them at ease, so he embraced her and tried to ignore the increasingly loud buzzing from the transport that was landing beyond them; he could feel the sound of the engines in the cavity of his chest, as if he were hollow.

When they parted, he took both of her hands in his and held her gaze. "Bren, I'm sorry. As much as I want to go with you...I can't leave my brothers."

She nodded, but he could feel her hands trembling. "I understand that, Rex."

He knew she did, which was why it was almost impossible to believe that she was leaving, that they had found each other only to be separated by circumstance; but as surely as he had his reasons for staying with his brothers, she had reasons for returning to her child. Despite all this, in the back of his mind he wondered if doing the right thing was really supposed to hurt this much.

"I love you," he added, gripping her hands in his and wishing that there were two of him, not caring that it was an ironic thought for a cloned man. "I know it doesn't make things any easier, but I love you, Brenna."

"I love you too, Rex," she replied, blinking rapidly as the wind from the engines picked up pieces of her hair and lifted them around their faces. "I'll call you when I get home so you know I made it alright."

They kissed again, for how long he didn't know exactly. They kissed until beyond them – when the transport team had unloaded their supplies and was preparing to leave – he could hear that the members of the crew were calling to one another. It was time to go.

When they parted, Rex wanted to give her some promise, some reassurance that he would see her again, but he felt that it would be false, because he had no way of knowing what was to come. They'd gambled and lost. It should have been expected, but it still hurt. So he offered her a half-smile and another kiss, softer than before. "Be safe, Bren."

"You too."

Still joined, their fingers squeezed for one more moment as he watched her take a deep breath before she broke the link of their hands and turned to leave. He watched one of the clones on the transport take her bags and help her aboard. He watched her reach for one of the dangling handles, the kind that he'd gripped a thousand times. He watched her face him and thought that he could see something wet streaking her cheeks, but it was difficult to say, because she was already far away and the blast doors were closing.

They sealed with a _thud. _Moments later, the transport shuddered into the air then slipped out of the hangar easily, as if nothing in the galaxy was holding it back. Within a few seconds it disappeared from his sight, and she was well and truly gone.

Rex stood for a moment, uncertain of what he was supposed to do, now. Suddenly, he felt a buzzing in his belt; reaching down, he withdrew the comlink that she'd given him and was able to smile at the message she'd sent:

_Get something to eat. You look hungry. Then go hang up those pictures in your office. Then find Fives...no one better for a distraction. _

Taking a breath, he tapped out a reply: _I normally don't take orders from civilians, but I'll make an exception this one time. _

_Glad to hear it, _was her reply, followed by: _Don't worry, we'll figure something out. I love you, Rex._

How? he wanted to ask, but he knew there was no answer. All he could do was reply with: _I love you, too._

For now, it would have to be enough.

* * *

Rex made it as far as the mess, but the instant he reached the door he realized that he wasn't hungry. Nor did he feel like hanging up any pictures in his office, let alone finding Fives; instead, he went to the observation room.

Sometime after Brenna's transport had left, the _Resolute_ had slipped back into hyperspace, and the entire area was awash in a blue glow. For a moment he stood beside the window and gazed with unseeing eyes at the ribboning stars, then he crossed the room and took a seat on the surface of one of the tables. There were, of course, a thousand things that he had to do, tasks he'd postponed since yesterday so that he could be with Brenna, but he couldn't bring himself to do more than rest his elbows on his knees and picture her face in his mind's eye, wondering again and again if he'd made the wrong choice.

After some time – he wasn't quite sure how long – the door to the observation room slid open with a hiss; glancing over, he watched Fives enter the room, eyes fixed on him and steps cautious, as if the ARC was uncertain how his presence would be met. Rex nodded – not quite an invitation, but not a signal to _stay away _– so his brother crossed the room and took a seat beside him, armored legs dangling over the edge of the table.

For a little while, neither man said anything, and for that Rex was thankful because he didn't feel like any of Fives' levity right now.

But of course, such a thing couldn't last. An indrawn breath, a throat clear; as he spoke, Fives shot him a careful look. "You okay, _vod_?"

Words were not easy to come by right now, so Rex only shrugged.

Nodding, Fives studied his own gloves for a moment, his forehead creasing as if he were confused or upset over something; after a little bit the ARC let out a heavy sigh, and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Rex."

Now it was the captain's turn to be confused. He glanced at Fives, brows furrowed. "Why?"

"Because I pushed you towards her," the ARC replied with a frown. "I wanted you to relax, have a bit of fun with a pretty girl, that's all. I wanted you to be happy for a little bit. I never meant for things to get so..."

He trailed off and his gloved hand lifted to make an indeterminate motion. "Anyway, I should have just kept my nose out of your business, like Echo would have told me to do. So, I'm sorry."

As Fives sighed again, Rex glanced toward him, noting the dejected set of the other man's shoulders and the shadows under his eyes. It took him a moment to collect his words, but he managed. "Fives, I don't regret anything that happened with Bren," he said, meeting his brother's startled gaze. "Yes...right now it feels pretty terrible, but..."

He frowned, then shook his head. There was no use holding anything back; it didn't matter. "But I love her and she feels the same about me, and this moment right now is pretty insignificant next to all of _that._"

"But what are you going to do?" Fives pressed, his hands balling into fists. "What if you never see each other again?"

"I don't know," Rex replied, looking back at the window. There was silence for a moment before he spoke again. "She asked me to go with her to Alderaan."

"Of course she did," Fives said with a snort, some of his bravado having apparently returned with Rex's reassurance that he didn't hold the ARC at fault. "But you didn't go. I'm not surprised."

As Rex opened his mouth to reply, his brother shook his head. "It's not a slight, Rex. For all of your faults, you're not a deserter. I don't think it's in you to leave the army."

"_All_ of my faults?" Rex replied with a raised brow. "And what might those be?"

Fives grinned at him, though after a moment his expression turned solemn again. "I don't know if it's in any of us to just walk away, and I'm okay with that. But if anyone had a reason to leave...well, it's you."

Rex turned his eyes back to the shredding stars. "My reason is on her way to Alderaan as we speak. Without me."

"That's the other thing I was wondering about," Fives said after a moment. When Rex glanced back his way, the ARC shifted in his seat in the manner of someone who was very uncomfortable. "She's going back to see the father of her kid. You aren't...concerned?"

"What, that she'll start up with that _di'kut_ again?" Rex asked. At Fives' chagrined look, the captain straightened in his seat. "She doesn't...that is...I'm not worried about her like that. Anyway, you didn't see how she talked to him when he came to the _Resolute_."

"Was she angry?"

"That's one way of putting it," Rex said. Fives looked confused, so he shook his head again. "It doesn't matter. What matters is I'm not concerned about that, _vod_. Not with her."

"You're the boss," Fives replied with a shrug. They sat in silence for a minute or so before the ARC shot Rex another careful look. "The others know she's gone."

"Some mouthy ARC trooper told them, I take it?"

"That's really not important," Fives said quickly, waving away the words. "Anyway, some of us were thinking of having a round or two of sabacc before evening training sims...interested in joining us? So far, Jesse, Coric and Kix are in. And me. We could use a fifth player, though."

The pain he felt from Brenna's absence would probably not fade anytime soon, but Rex really had no way of knowing. He also had no way of knowing if his feelings of regret would dissipate, but thought that maybe they would, with time.

What he did know was that his reasons for staying – one of them, anyway – was sitting beside him with a hopeful expression that he was trying hard to hide; Fives was always ridiculously easy to read, like a holo-novel. Echo had been the more reticent one of the two of them, after all. Fives laid it all out there, for the world to see.

The knowledge that his men – his brothers – were waiting for him, probably worried, was touching, and Rex thought that it might be good for him to be in their company for a while. So he studied his brother for a moment more, then nodded slowly. "I think I will. Thanks, _vod."_

* * *

_Sigh. The last scene with Fives and Rex is one of my favorites..._

_One of the songs that "fits" for this story - this chapter, in particular - is "Save Me," by Goyte. As Rex says, it's awful that he and Bren have been parted, but there was a lot of good stuff, too, which - to me - that song emphasizes. Yes, I know that this is a horribly angsty chapter, but my hope is that it's clear that Rex is able to endure being parted from the women he loves because he's a bit stronger now than he was before they met.  
_

_I'm very curious to hear if you thought that Rex was going to go with Bren to Alderaan, and if you wanted him to or not. I feel like his choice to remain was keeping within his character, but I didn't want it to be an easy choice for him to make, so I'm anxious to hear your perspective on the matter. :)  
_

_As always, thank you for reading!  
_

_Next time: on Alderaan._


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Despite the feeling of being torn in two, Brenna found that she was happy to be home again.

As the little shuttle that she'd boarded about a day and a half ago began to descend onto the landing platform, she peered out of the window beside her seat, hoping for a glimpse of Iri and Caith. After she'd informed her brother of her ETA, he'd promised to bring her daughter along to greet her at the hangar; for the last few hours all that she'd been able to focus on was seeing Iri again, though she had managed to send a brief message to Rex that she'd arrived safely.

There were only a few locals standing in the cordoned-off section of the platform; Belleau-a-Lir was not a large city, certainly not compared to the capitol of Aldera, and most of the tourists that would frequent the area during this time of the year had not yet arrived. Once Brenna disembarked with her bags and made her way to the waiting area, it was easy to spot the tell-tale copper hair of her sister-in-law, Caith's wife, Edme.

However, Brenna hardly spared the taller woman a glance, because in her arms...

"Iri!"

There was no word that could properly express the joy and utter relief that Brenna felt once her daughter was in her embrace. Everything fell away: Rex, Tucker, the War...for a few moments her entire being was centered on the warm body clutched to hers, and the way that the toddler's chubby arms looped around her neck as she exclaimed, "Mama!"

Belatedly, Brenna realized that she, not her baby, was crying, but she didn't care in the slightest; all she wanted to think about was the way her daughter smelled like finger-paint and soap, and the reassuring weight of the little body that she was pressing close to her own. As she ran her hands across Iri's form, ensuring over and over that her child was whole and healthy, Irini spoke again. "Iri miss Mama."

"I missed you, too, honey," Brenna replied with a breathless laugh, despite the fact that tears were still streaming down her cheeks. "You have no idea."

After a few moments she was able to collect herself enough to look at her sister-in-law, who was watching the two of them with a smile. "Thank you...I just...I can't ever thank you enough for looking after her..."

Edme shook her head. She was tall, stately and very slender, with reddish hair that brushed her collarbone with the movement; Brenna had always thought that she looked a little bit like royalty, especially with the graceful curve of her neck. There was a warmth to Edme that was quite welcoming, but she also had a way of making Brenna feel very uncouth, as her movements were always regal.

"We love her too, you know," the other woman replied, touching Brenna's shoulder. "And I'm glad that Caith and I were in a position to help. Welcome home, Bren."

Nodding, Brenna cast a glance around; the few people that had arrived with her had already met their parties and were moving towards the exit. The entrance where the shuttle had flown in was open to the sky, revealing a stretch of perfect blue, while the landing platform itself was covered with permacrete archways. "Where's Caith? Is he with the speeder?"

At this, Edme's face darkened, and Brenna felt a slip of fear as her sister-in-law replied. "He's at the house right now. I'll explain on the way...do you have any other bags?"

Brenna shook her head and glanced down at the bags she must have dropped once she'd taken her daughter in her arms. After some juggling, she had her knapsack over her shoulder while Edme hefted her suitcase, and they made their way to the speeder-lot outside. Several minutes later, she, Edme and Iri were in a speeder, making their way through the township.

Belleau-a-Lir was picturesque. Nestled at the center of Lir Lakir, a lake in the foothills of a nearby mountain range, the main body of the city was often the first place where many tourists to this area stopped. As such, it this section of the town was rather quaint and old-fashioned in appearance, though Brenna figured that her perceptions were probably skewed after living on utilitarian warships for the past two years.

Most of the buildings were constructed of smooth, dove-gray stone, mined from the mountains. It was mid-spring, and the air still held a trace of coolness; there was color all around in the form of flowers placed in large pots outside of shops and tapcafs, and beyond the edges of the city she could see the rippling waters of Lir Lakir winking in the sunlight. As Edme guided the speeder through the streets, the stream of buildings that they passed by grew less in number as they made their way towards the edges of the city proper.

"We haven't seen Tucker at all, but Caith refused to leave the house, just in case," Edme was saying as Brenna checked again that Iri's speeder-seat was secure; she'd forgone sitting beside her sister-in-law to remain at her daughter's side in the backseat of the vehicle. "Tavi's staying with a friend from school for a few days as well. Caith contacted the Alderaani Security Force, but they were at a loss; they seem to think this is GAR jurisdiction. But since you didn't want us to notify the army..."

Edme's words trailed off and she gave Brenna a speculative look while the speeder was paused at an intersection. Rather than reply right away, Brenna frowned and stroked Iri's baby-curls for a moment as she thought, then glanced up at her sister-in-law. "If they find Tucker, they'll send him back to Kamino," she said in a quiet voice. "It's...the end of the line for a clone," she added, not wanting to say the words 'death sentence' in front of her impressionable daughter.

Edme frowned, but nodded, and her hands tightened on the controls of the speeder. "He hasn't tried anything yet, so I suppose you're right about him not being a threat, but I still don't like it."

"Me either," Brenna replied. "But he's..." She paused, uncertain of what to say, as she'd never explained him to Iri before, and wasn't sure if _now_ was the right time.

Safely buckled in her seat, Iri had been quiet for the most part, but now she tilted her face up to her mother. "Mama?"

"Yes, honey?"

"What's Tucker?"

At the words, the women exchanged glances, but Brenna rubbed her daughter's back and pushed back a few errant strands of hair from Iri's face. It was a little awkward with the speeder-seat, but she couldn't help but at least keep a hand on her baby after being apart from Iri for so long. "_Who_, Iri. Tucker is a person. He's a...friend of mine, from a long time ago."

Golden-brown eyes studied her, and for one moment Brenna swore she could see the same thoughtfulness in her daughter's face as she'd witnessed in Rex's. Finally, Iri nodded and leaned back in her seat as if she was going to sleep, pressing the back of her head against Brenna's hand and letting out a deep sigh of contentment that made her mother's throat tighten.

Despite her former concern, Edme smiled. "I'm sure she's exhausted. Ever since we told her you were coming back, she's been a little bundle of energy."

Brenna nodded absently as she skimmed her other hand across Iri's cheeks and neck, savoring the feel of her baby's pulse; as she leaned over the edge of the speeder-seat to rest her cheek against the top of Iri's blonde head, she was nothing but grateful, because in spite of everything else that surrounded this moment there was no greater joy than having her daughter in her arms again.

Caith and Edme lived on the farthest outskirts of Belleau-a-Lir; both Brenna and her brother had grown up in the shadow of a remote mountain, and it had not escaped her notice that Caith chose to live within several klicks of their mother's home. Their house was at the end of a winding dirt driveway, and the vehicle's progress was marked by clouds of kicked-up dust from the repulsors as Edme guided the speeder past an assortment of humble houses; once they reached a modest, blue structure, tucked within a stand of curving hydenock trees, Edme slowed the vehicle to a stop beneath a durasteel awning.

Her brother's house had always been beautiful to Brenna, even though she knew that it was considered quite ordinary by most standards. Resting towards the rear of about five acres of land, the house was two-stories, painted a soft blue that was a breath away from gray, and was outfitted with a stone chimney – a necessity during the winter, despite the heating unit – as well as a small garden that her brother had planted in the backyard. There was a sandbox and several bright-colored toys scattered in the yard, and the entire place felt like _home. _

With hardly a word, the women disembarked; as they approached the house, Caith appeared on the front porch, standing at the top of the steps that led down to the yard. He looked nervous. Taller than Brenna, as tall as Edme, her brother had Brenna's coloring and facial structure, except he'd taken to growing out his beard in recent years, such that often she thought that he looked similar to their late father.

"Unc' Caith!" Iri exclaimed in delight, twisting in Brenna's arms to wave at her uncle. "Mama home!"

Caith smiled at the little girl, but his eyes were wary and fixed on Brenna. They met at the foot of the stairs and her brother's crushing embrace was strong enough to push the air from her lungs. When they parted, he kissed Edme on the cheek and took Brenna's bags from each of the women, then thumbed towards the house. "He's here."

Brenna's stomach dropped to her knees and her hands tightened reflexively around Iri. "Right now? Inside?"

"Showed up just after we got your comm saying you were arriving." Caith's voice was dark, and he studied Brenna carefully. "I can have the ASF here in a few minutes, Bren. Just say the word."

She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Let me talk to him, first. But thank you."

Perhaps she should have set Iri in her brother's arms, or Edme's, but Brenna couldn't release her daughter just yet. So, with Caith and Edme at her heels, she headed up the wooden steps of their home, pulled open the screen door and stepped inside.

The interior of the house was quiet and cool; the front door opened into the living area, which contained a sofa, a rocking chair and a wide assortment of toys in addition to a vid-player and viewer. Along the walls were pictures of the family, of Brenna and Iri, as well as various landscapes of Alderaan, and aside from the scattered toys the entire room was tidy and comfortable. It was a place where Brenna had spent much time once she'd left her mother's house in the shadow of the mountain; it was a place she thought of as _home._

So it was a wholly incongruous sight to see Tucker, still clad in his gray armor with his helmet tucked under his arm, standing in the midst of Tavi and Iri's toys with his eyes fixed on the door where Brenna had just appeared.

Seeing him here, like this, with her daughter in her arms – _their_ daughter, despite her harsh words on the _Resolute_ – was a punch in the gut. For a long moment she stood and looked at him, then Iri broke the silence.

"Mama...him Tucker?"

At first Tucker blinked in surprise, then his eyes widened and a smile slipped across his face; despite everything, Brenna couldn't help but smile down at Iri as she replied. "Yes, sweetheart. That's Tucker."

At the sound of his name, Tucker inhaled and then looked between Brenna and Iri. "May I...say hello to her?"

Brenna nodded. After another pause Tucker stepped forward, coming to a halt about a meter away from the two of them and bent his knees so that he was eye-level with Irini, who had twisted in Brenna's arms to regard him. "Hello, Irini," he said in a quiet voice. "It's very nice to meet you."

Iri studied him for a beat, then ducked her face into Brenna's hair, as if suddenly shy. A worried look flickered across the commando's face and he glanced at Brenna, who rubbed Iri's back in a comforting manner. "She's fine. You're just...a lot to take in with the armor and everything..."

"Oh." He cast a glance down his front. "I don't have my fatigues with me. Would they be better? I can probably find some..."

"Don't worry about it," she replied, shifting Iri in her arms as she studied him. Even in the soft lights of her brother's home he looked awful; his eyes were shadowed and he seemed more gaunt than the last time she'd seen him, as if food had been hard to come by, or not appetizing. "I'm here, Tucker," she said after a moment, working to keep her voice calm. "Isn't that what you wanted? Isn't that why you called me away from the _Resolute_?"

The commando had the decency to look contrite, though in the next moment he shot a glance behind her, where Caith and Edme were still waiting. "Sir, ma'am...if you could give us a minute...?"

"Bren?" Caith's voice was querying.

She glanced back at her brother and sister-in-law, then kissed Iri's forehead. "I think it's time for a nap, honey. Why don't you go with Uncle Caith and Aunt Edme?"

Iri pulled back and shook her head even as a fierce yawn blurred her words. "No leave, Mama. Please?"

With that, she flung her arms around Brenna's neck and hugged as tightly as she was able. In the corner of her eye, Brenna saw that Tucker was fighting a smile, but she ignored him for the moment; she looked at Caith again. "Would you...?"

Nodding, her brother reached for his niece; there was a faint, mumbled protest from the little girl, whose eyes were heavy-lidded. As Caith and Edme prepared to take Irini to her room, Brenna kissed her daughter's cheek, adding a whispered promise that she would be there when Iri awoke. Once they were alone, she looked at Tucker again. "Well?"

He'd been watching Iri and the others leave the room; at Brenna's word he looked back at her. "What did you tell her about me?"

"What am I supposed to say to her about you?" Brenna replied, her voice wavering a little. Now that Iri was gone and the haze of delight from their reunion was fading, she felt the beginnings of old anger course through her. "I honestly have no idea."

"I...I don't know, either," he admitted, lowering his eyes. "But I thought maybe you did."

"It hasn't really come up, from what I understand," she said after a minute. "Having one parent absent all the time is enough for her to think about, I guess."

At her words Tucker gave a wince, but nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

There was another pause, during which he shifted awkwardly and she crossed her arms before her chest. Finally he looked at her again. "Bren, I've thought a lot about what you said, back on the _Resolute. _About how you think that I can't make everything right...but you're wrong. I _know_ you're wrong...it will be hard, I know, and I know that you're still angry – with good reason – but it could work if we both just _tried, _you know? If we both want it enough, we can all be a family. A real family."

Her mouth opened but he continued, stepping closer to her with a look of desperation in his eyes. "I meant what I said, Bren: I love you, and I came here to fight for you and for what we could have. If you'd only let me back in, just for a little bit, I'll show you that we can start over – Iri, you, me – and that we can all be together. Doesn't that sound at least a little appealing to you?"

"Tucker-"

"Bren, I came here to ask you to marry me."

Shock enveloped her, cold and swift, and there was a ringing in her ears even as her head felt thick and heavy, like she was about to faint. "What?"

Tucker had somehow taken her hands in his, and was giving her an intense, pleading look. "Marry me, Brenna Damaris."

* * *

_No Rex in this chapter, sadly. I think it's the first, (and only?) Rex-less chapter of the whole fic, so please bear with me. :) We'll find out what he's been up to in the next chapter, among other things._

_For the purpose of this fic, the section of Alderaan where Brenna's family lives, (outside of Belleau-a-Lir), is very "rural," not like the capitol city of Aldera, which is - as far as I know - the height of refinement and civilization. The Damaris' are "country-folk," as we'd say down here in the South. (Y'all got that? :P)_

_Thank you for reading! :)_

_Next time: Bren's answer._


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Brenna's throat was dry and her heart was racing, but it wasn't with happiness, or joy; it wasn't terror or even the familiar anger, though she thought _that _might change, very soon. Right now, she had no way to quantify how she felt as she looked at up at Tucker, so she grasped for simple speech even as he gripped her hands in his.

Despite her efforts, speech did not come, so she only shook her head.

Tucker's face fell a bit, but he recovered quickly. "I know that you hate me right now," he said, squeezing her hands. "But we had something once, something really wonderful; don't you remember? We had a lot of good times, Bren. A lot of them."

Still clasping her own, his hands tightened again, then his thumbs began to rub small circles over her wrists while his honey-brown eyes remained fixed on her face. She did; she remembered. There had been passion, lots of it, and many heated nights spent in his arms, memorizing the planes of his body as he learned hers. Tucker had not known anything about the physical aspects of love when they'd met; she'd taught him what she knew and they'd discovered quite a bit more together.

In return, he'd taught her as well: a bit of Mando'a, some of the more unique traits that were found in individual clones, and the fact that each of his brothers – despite sharing the same face – was different in his own way. In a very real sense, it had been because of Tucker that she'd been able to not only fall in love with Rex, but understand the deep bonds of brotherhood that connected the clones, which she knew had been the main thing that kept Rex from following her to Alderaan.

Brenna knew that she should have been furious with Tucker, because he'd pulled her away from the man she loved, away from her job, completely upturned her life on some wild, misplaced hope that he could still fix what he'd broken. He was careless, irresponsible, inconsiderate...

But it was not within her heart to keep being angry with him; she was not made for that kind of fighting, not with the father of her child, not with – she thought – anyone. Instead, she looked down at their joined hands, then back up at his eyes. "I remember all of that, Tucker," she said, gently extracting her hands from his and setting them back at her sides. "But it doesn't change anything for me."

"But..." He blinked and shook his head, then exhaled as he seemed to mentally regroup. "Okay. The past is gone. Then we should move forward. Start over."

She was quiet for a moment, then she slipped past him and made her way to the kitchen. After a pause, Tucker followed.

As Brenna pulled out a few mugs and began to prepare a pot of white-leaf tea, she told him to sit at the kitchen table, the place where he'd sent her the first transmission; he did so without a word, his eyes fixed on her in that intense manner that only a clone was capable of, his knees bouncing with agitation beneath the table even though his hands were folded and still before him. After a few minutes, he set his helmet on the table's edge and removed his gloves, all while still watching her movements.

Once the tea was ready, she handed him a mug and an assortment of sugar, then slid into the wooden chair across from him. The light in here was brighter than that in the living room; through the beams that streaked in from the window over the sink she could see again how terrible he looked: drawn, shaded and grim, he was a far cry from the jovial young man she'd met nearly three years ago. There were flecks of gray in his hair, and she noted a few faint lines around his eyes, evidence of the fact that the clones aged so fast.

As they waited for the tea to cool enough to drink, she took a deep breath. "Why are you doing all of this now?"

Tucker seemed to consider the steam rising from his mug for a moment, and when he spoke he didn't look at her. "My squad was on Boz Pity...our mission was supposed to be a simple extraction, an in-and-out deal. But...everything went wrong. _Everything_. Our target – some Seppie leader – escaped, and my brothers..."

He swallowed and his bouncing knees stilled; he wrapped his hands around the mug and ducked his head. "It was some kind of massive thermal det, aimed right at our engines. I was taking a leak outside, so I wasn't aboard. There was nothing I could do, Bren," he added, shifting his eyes her way, which was when she saw that his own were bright. "Just like that...they were gone and I was alone. I had nothing left...except you and Iri.

"I know that I never responded to your messages," he added after a pause. "But I thought about the two of you every day. I had your approximate due-date marked on a calendar and I researched Human pregnancies to learn what you were dealing with. And through it all...even though I couldn't bring myself to call you after I left...when I fought, I fought for you. For both of you."

Brenna had gone very still at his words. "Tucker..."

Blinking hard, the commando shook his head. "You kept me going, Bren, because I knew that you were out there, somewhere, with my daughter, and I thought that if I was fighting to keep the two of you safe...that would be enough. I had nothing else to give you, anyway, besides a half-life and perfect aim."

"That's why you never called?"

He nodded, shame crossing his face.

She was silent for a few minutes, thinking. His words had touched her more than she wanted to admit; however, despite the fact that she wasn't as angry with him as she'd been before his admission, deep down she wasn't sure if she could bring herself to forgive him just yet. "I don't care about any of that 'half-life' stuff, Tucker. You should have called me."

"I know." He frowned and cast her a careful look. "And I know it was a _chakaar _move to call you out here like this; I know you were worried about what I'd do, but there was only so much I could say over the comm. I had to get you alone, away from..." There was a pause and his shoulders sank just a bit. "I wanted to see you somewhere that was...comfortable for you. Somewhere that we could just _talk."_

There was more, she could see it in his eyes. She thought she knew, but she asked him, anyway. "And?"

Tucker sighed. "I wanted to see her. Bren, you have no idea how much."

"I think I do."

"Fair enough," he replied with a nod and the very faintest of smiles. "She's so beautiful, Brenna. She's perfect...I had no idea how perfect she was."

Brenna was tired from her journey and from the past few days, so she only sipped her tea and tried to push back the emotion that was burning behind her eyes. Tucker waited a moment more, then tentatively reached his hand out to cover her own; in response, she flinched and pulled back, watching as understanding finally seemed to dawn on him and his brows furrowed.

They were silent for another few moments, then he spoke in an even voice that was meant to conceal the fact that he'd once had hope, and it pained her that she could read him so well. "There's no chance for us, is there?"

Again, Brenna shook her head.

Nodding, Tucker wrapped both of his hands around the mug again and she could see that his fingers were trembling. His eyes – his expressive, almost-golden eyes – were filled with sorrow, but he held still, otherwise. After a moment he looked at her. "It's going to be impossible for me to just think of you as someone that I used to care about. As for Iri-"

"You can visit her whenever you like," Brenna broke in. "As long as you let me know, first. Tucker...you should still be in her life. Just because I don't want to marry you doesn't mean you can't see your daughter ever again."

"But it does," he replied with a shake of his head. "Brenna...I can't see her once in a while, if you won't have me. It has to be all or nothing."

Of course. Tucker was still Tucker; _that_ had not changed, despite his words and his wish that it was otherwise. Anger returned to her, but she managed to keep it in check. "You can't raise a child on absolutes. That's not how a family works. Or how love works, by the way."

"Then I guess I still have a lot to learn," he replied in a bitter voice. Neither one said anything for a moment; she watched the light shifting across the kitchen table as clouds slipped across the distant sun. The house was unnaturally quiet and she wondered if Caith and Edme were listening, somehow. Even if they weren't, it was good to know that she wasn't alone.

And somewhere out there was Rex. Her eyes closed briefly, because she knew he'd be worried.

"It's not..." Tucker paused, then frowned to himself as he searched for the words. Finally he scowled. "It's not because of _him_, right? He's not here with you, so I thought that maybe it was over..."

"I meant what I said before, Tucker," she replied, suppressing her ire at his assumption. "Rex has nothing to do with you and me. I don't want to marry you because I don't love you."

The commando looked pained, but he nodded slowly. Finally, he stood up, pushed his chair out behind him with a loud scrape and began to collect his helmet and gloves. She rose as well, followed him to the front door; they moved onto the porch and down the steps, towards the sunshine that blanketed the yard.

At the base of the stairs, Tucker paused to scan the horizon before looking back at her. "I'm not sure I'll ever stop caring for you, Bren," he said quietly. "So, if you ever need anything, anything at all...call me, and I'll be there. In a heartbeat."

It wasn't enough, not for Iri, but it would have to do. She nodded and he looked a little bit satisfied; as he moved to step away, she spoke. "What are you going to do, now?"

Tucker glanced back at her. He'd stopped in a patch of sunlight and his hand lifted to shade his eyes. "A little while ago, I made some friends from Mandalore," he said after a moment. "They have a...bastion, of a sort, for men like me. Clones who can't fight any more."

"So you're going to desert?"

He shrugged and his tone was indifferent. "It's looking that way."

There was another beat of silence; beyond him, she could see endless blue sky, sprinkled with a few sweeping, high level clouds. Gray mountains stood sentinel in the distance, solid and unmoving. When Tucker spoke again, his voice was almost lost in a sudden breeze that rifled through the hydenock trees.

"I'm really sorry, Brenna."

Something had caught in her throat; belatedly she realized that her face was wet, and that her arms were wrapping around her torso, as if her body was trying to hold itself together. "Me too, Tucker."

A final nod from him, then he slipped his helmet over his head and moved off, towards a thicket of woods that curved across Caith's land. Moments later, he was gone.

Again.

* * *

_The previous day, aboard the _Resolute_..._

After Brenna had left, the sabacc game with Fives, Kix, Jesse and Coric had merged seamlessly into the evening training sims; by all rights, Rex should have been exhausted after the simulations, but after he'd ordered his men to hit the showers, he'd found that he was still filled with a nervous, restless energy.

So he'd showered and gone to his office, where he'd spent the better part of the night going over all of the work he'd been neglecting, trying to shut off his thoughts. At this he failed, at least until he fell asleep at his desk, head resting on his folded elbow.

The next day passed in much the same manner, minus the sabacc, so it was that Rex found himself at his desk again late the next afternoon, when he heard from Brenna. It was a quick message, stating that she'd arrived on Alderaan safely, and that she would contact him later. There was not nearly enough information to ease his mind, but it would have to suffice. He wanted to reply, but was reluctant to disturb her reunion with her daughter, so he kept his urge to himself and tried to be patient.

It was harder than he thought it should have been.

Rex remained at his desk, skipping the evening meal; naturally, Kix had comm'd a bit ago, urging him to eat, but Rex really just wanted to be left alone, if only for a little while. He didn't think it was a lot to ask, and Kix actually obliged him, though there was a mild threat of force-feeding the captain ration cubes if he kept the isolation up for too long.

Anyway, as a result of his self-imposed solitude, the duty rosters for the next three months were planned out – provided no one died – and he'd updated each trooper's file to reflect the man's participation in the most recent sims; he'd diagrammed, mapped and arranged training sims for the next three weeks, scheduled a meeting with the admiral and the Jedi when they returned from their most recent mission, organized briefings with his top officers – including Appo – to go over the logistics of sieges, because by all accounts, Torrent would likely be diverted to the Outer Rim for a while and he wanted everyone to be prepared.

But still, he wasn't tired. Rather, he was exhausted, but he was wary of sleep, because of his dreams. When he'd fallen asleep at his desk last night, he'd had horrible nightmares again, the kind he used to get before Brenna, and this morning he'd woken up even more tired than before.

His eyes were going blurry from staring at his console for so many hours but he refused to leave, and told himself that it was because he wasn't _quite _satisfied with the layout of the next training sim, so he was trying to correct it. Absently, he reached for the mug of caf that he'd set at his elbow – was it an hour ago? More? – and pulled a face when the cold liquid hit his tongue. With a sigh, Rex set the mug back down, resolving to get more, soon.

His comlink chirruped, signaling an incoming holo-transmission. A glance down indicated that the source was Alderaan, and he took a deep breath before he activated the link. When Brenna's face and upper body appeared before him, seated on a bed in a room he didn't recognize, Rex felt something relax inside, and he sank back into his chair. "Bren."

"_Rex."_ She smiled at him, but he could see that she was nervous. _"It's over,"_ she said after a moment. _"Tucker, I mean. We had a long talk and then he left. He won't be back."_

It was what he'd hoped, but Rex was...well, _curious_ was putting it mildly. "Is Iri okay? Are you okay?"

Although she still looked troubled, when she spoke of her daughter there was a smile on her face. _"Iri's wonderful. I'm...okay._ _Well_," she amended, her shoulders falling a little. _"Not really, but I will be."_

There was a pause, then she swept her eyes over him. _"How are you?"_

"Not quite okay," he replied with a shake of his head. "But I will be. At the moment it's not so bad. Your influence, I guess."

Brenna smiled at him again, and he wished he could reach through the transmission and touch her, even if only for an instant. Finally she took a deep breath and told him about the confrontation with Tucker; he was stunned to hear that the commando had wanted to _marry_ her – not because it was an unreasonable thought for a man who loved her – but because Tucker had gone about the whole thing like such a...

He exhaled and tried to shake off his anger, because it would do neither Brenna nor himself any good.

When he looked back at her, Brenna's gaze was distant, focused on a point off-screen, and he watched as her entire face changed; she was beaming in a way that he'd only seen her do when talking about her daughter, only it was much, much more so, now. As he watched, Brenna reached out her arms and laughed as a little girl clambered into her lap; the picture flickered – Iri must have disturbed something – but it steadied out after a moment and Brenna bent her head to whisper something to the toddler.

A moment later the little girl turned his way, and Rex caught his breath; she looked so similar to Bren, it was uncanny, but what was even more amazing was the fact that he could see traces of _his _own face in hers. They were subtle, to be sure, but the similarities were there, and he wondered if it would continue to be so as Iri aged.

Brenna's hair shifted as she spoke to her daughter, who was watching the transmission of Rex with a curious expression. _"Sweetheart, this is my dear friend, Rex. Can you say 'hello?'"_

There was a pause, then he watched in utter astonishment as Iri's hand lifted and she burbled out a brief, _"'lo, Rex."_

"Hello, Iri," he replied in his warmest voice. "It's wonderful to meet you."

The child studied him a moment longer, then looked up at her mother. _"Rex look Tucker, Mama."_

"_He does look like Tucker,"_ she replied, smiling as she smoothed back her daughter's hair. _"But they couldn't be more different."_

Something about the way she said the words struck Rex, and he took a breath to steady himself; a moment later, Iri looked at him again, her eyes flickering behind and around his head. _"Tree!" _she exclaimed suddenly, pointing towards the wall behind him, where he'd managed to hang some of the pics that Bren had passed his way. There were more as well along the opposite wall so he could see them while seated at his desk. _"Mama! See? Tree!"_

Rex and Brenna exchanged a laugh, and she hugged her daughter._ "That's right, honey. I gave Rex some of your pictures for his office. Don't they look nice?"_

"They're beautiful, Iri," Rex added, leaning forward. "You're very handy with finger-paint."

"_Iri like trees,"_ she replied, sitting up and giving him a broad smile. _"Pretty." _

Brenna smiled as well, and shot Rex a raised brow as she spoke to the toddler._ "Maybe you can make some new pictures to send him, soon. Would you be willing to do that, Iri?"_

There was a pause; Rex watched in fascination as Iri studied him again. A strange thrill of delight moved through him when she nodded, then cast a shy smile his way. _"'Kay, Mama."_

"Thank you, Iri," he said, giving her a salute and chuckling as she giggled and hid her face in her mother's hair.

At this, Brenna gave him a huge grin as she mouthed _I love you, _which made him smile in return, and reply in a similarly silent manner. He wasn't sure about children, but considering this was his first conversation with her daughter, it was probably too soon to say anything about the true nature of his relationship with Brenna, so a little bit of subterfuge was necessary.

Across the galaxy from the woman he loved, with no true knowledge of when he'd see her again...not for the first time in the last two days he wondered if he'd made the right decision by staying.

Perhaps she'd seen the change in his expression; perhaps she knew him that well. Brenna gave him a knowing look even as she rubbed her daughter's back._ "How are your brothers? Fives is behaving himself, I hope?"_

"More or less," Rex replied, leaning back in his chair. "He's assigned to us for the time being – again. There's talk of more sieges in the Outer Rim, among other things. The next few months are going to be...tough." He paused, because suddenly all of that talk felt very inconsequential in light of the rest of his life. "And I miss you."

"_I miss you, too,"_ she said as Iri began to tug at the sleeve of her shirt. _"Rex, I miss you so much, but I understand that you're committed to your brothers. You're..."_ A blush appeared on her cheeks, barely discernible through the holo. _"Honorable,"_ she said after a moment. _"Rex, you're the most honorable man I've ever met."_

He glanced down at his hands for a moment, because he didn't trust his voice to work right away. Finally he managed. "It's...good to hear you say that. Thank you."

Neither one spoke for a moment, until Iri broke the silence._ "Rex brothers?"_

Rex had to chuckle at her perplexed tone. "I have quite a few, Iri."

"_But he's the most handsome out of all of them,"_ Brenna added, shooting him a wink that made his ears get warm.

She paused, then took a deep breath. _"I sent in my application again,_" she said after a moment. _"Apparently it's a slow process – like anything with the government – so it might be a few weeks before I hear back. I'll stay on Alderaan in the meantime."_

A long, slow inhale and exhale did nothing to set his heart at ease, but he tried not to show the fact. Instead, he nodded and worked to appear neutral. However, she must have known, for she gave him an earnest look. _"It will work out," _she said as she removed Iri's grip from the buttons of her shirt._ "We'll find a way...somehow."_

"I hope so," he replied, wishing again he could reach for her through the holo. They spoke for a few more minutes, finally ending with a promise to speak again tomorrow evening; by that time, Iri had fallen asleep in her mother's arms, her entire body appearing limp and totally relaxed, and her face was peaceful. Before he signed off, Rex nodded to the little girl. "She's beautiful. Did I ever tell you that?"

"_Maybe once or twice_," she replied with a smile. _"Talk to you tomorrow?"_

Rex nodded, then glanced at the child again to make sure she was really asleep. "I love you, Bren."

"_I love you, too," _she said at once, hugging sleeping Iri to her chest. _"Stay safe, okay?"_

"I'll do my best."

* * *

___Tucker. Sigh. So many mixed emotions with this guy. There are a few songs that fit his story, namely "Jolene," by Ray Lamontagne; it's about a drug-addict, which Tucker is _not_, obviously, but many of the narrator's sentiments inspired Tucker's character. (Also, it's a damn good song.) H__opefully his perspective is a bit clearer, now, though I feel she made the right choice. Your thoughts?_

_Holy cow, TFK has gotten almost 300 reviews! o.O That's more than _any_ of my other fics, woot! :D_

_ I really can't thank you guys enough for reviewing. Maybe I'm an "established" author around these parts, (whatever that means), but I'm still apprehensive about how my stories will be received, so it means _a lot_ to hear your thoughts and feedback. Reviewing is a _hugely_ important aspect of our little community here, and I'm truly grateful to those of you who take the time to do so. Even a word or two of encouragement and support is welcome. :)_

_Thank you again to those of you who review. *hugs*_

_Next time: the countdown begins..._


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

* * *

_Approximately one month prior to Order 66..._**  
**

* * *

_Bren: I know that I promised to call you tonight, but we're being deployed to Ojom almost this instant, and I wanted to let you know that I'll be out of comm range for a few days, at least. Ahsoka's been sent on a covert-ops mission of some kind, so it's only Skywalker who'll be with us on Ojom. _

_Other than that, things are relatively normal on my end. As normal as they can be, I suppose, considering that the casualties seem to be getting worse each day; not just in the 501st, but in the army as a whole. For each man that's cut down, it seems like three more step in...all Spaartis. There are few of us "regular" clones (Fives' phrase, not mine) left. _

_Anyway, Jesse and Tup wanted me to pass on "hello"for them; I think Kix does as well, but he didn't expressly say so – you know how he is. From what I understand, Fives and Marliss have been together for most of their free time...though they've each been incommunicado. _

_I miss you. A lot. Give Iri a hug for me. Love, Rex._

* * *

Ice and snow may have made a decent backdrop for his men to blend into, but Rex had never been a fan of frigid temperatures, not to mention the chilling gusts of wind that somehow managed to find their way into the depths of his climate-controlled armor. The settlement they were supposed to be protecting was little more than a meager collection of huts, and the citizens were certainly taking their time to evac, though Rex wondered if the furious wind was playing a role in the delay.

Ojom was miserable and cold, and he decided – again, because he'd already figured this out back on Ordo Plutonia – that he really, _really_ didn't care for weather like this. He missed the sun, missed being warm.

"Incoming!" Jesse's warning shout snapped the captain into automatic action.

Ducking out of the way of the blast from the Seppie cannon, Rex rolled his body into a somersault, springing to his feet a moment later. Beneath his boots, he could feel the hard-packed snow quaking with the enemy tank's approach. All around him the men of Torrent Company were blasting away at the oncoming vehicles; as he ducked to avoid another hail of plasma, Rex watched three Spaartis fall, then disappear when their unblemished armor blended into the snow a little too perfectly.

Despite their unwitting camouflage, the soldiers were too exposed here. Rex shouted an order over the comm channel; immediately, his men began to pull back, towards the slanted shelter of a glacier's edge. Beside him, another of the Spaartis – Rex felt a flare of shame that he couldn't recall the fellow's designation, as none of them had nicknames – stumbled when a round of plasma bit into his shoulder. The captain paused, tried to pick up his fellow clone, but the blaster-bolts were incoming thicker than hail or wind and he had to leap away in order to avoid being killed himself. Once he was relatively safe, he glanced back, searching for the fallen Spaarti. He couldn't find him.

Some time later – he wasn't sure how long – Rex found himself standing back-to-back with Fives and Jesse as the three soldiers faced off against a veritable storm of droids; luckily, most of his men were out of the line of fire from the _Hailfire_ tanks – themselves having some trouble gaining traction on the icy terrain – but Rex feared that it would not be so for much longer.

"Could really use some help right about now," Fives grunted as he hurled a det towards the approaching droids. "Where the _haran _is Skywalker?"

"No clue." It was Coric, coming up to Rex's left flank to stand beside Jesse; the other troopers provided the medic a measure of cover while he knelt to refill his hyposprays. "No one's seen him since those tanks started up."

The ARC made an irritated noise. Nearby, Tup was picking off droids at long range; it was he who spotted the last of the locals, making a break from their homes while the clones provided cover. "There they go, at last! Maybe now we can bang out of here?"

"Kriffing Besalisks," Fives replied, his voice a growl. "Cowards, the lot of them. Not a one bothered to help us – and it's _their_ home we're defending!"

The unabashed ire in his words made Rex bristle involuntarily, but he couldn't in good conscious allow that kind of talk. "Fives, keep your mind on the mission!"

"More cannons incoming," Jesse called out. "From the south..."

"I hope the Spaartis can handle it," Coric replied, still bent over his medkit. "Us regulars have our hands tied."

Rex missed Fives' reply, as something that Coric had said made him glance around; aside from himself, Fives, Jesse, Tup and Coric, he could make out Kix and Chopper, hurrying between fallen soldiers, checking vitals and either calling for them to be dragged out of harm's way, or moving on if there was no hope. Through the wind and snow, he could make out Viv, Thrash and Imp rounding on a group of super battle droids, while several more blue-armored men of Torrent were running to assist them. He knew there were more: Faze and Doubletake were not far away judging by the display in his HUD, and there was another pocket of clones to his left, making every effort to shield the fleeing refugees from droid-fire.

However, the rest of the clones that he could see were the Spaartis that had been brought in to supplement Torrent Company's numbers. It was like an optical illusion, as if every time he looked, there were more and more. The realization made him grimace beneath his bucket, because he wasn't quite sure when it had become this way; slowly, he thought, a gradual shifting, but he really didn't know for certain.

"There he is!" Fives' shout broke Rex out of his reverie; he looked up just in time to see Skywalker hurtle over himself and his brothers, making his way to the thick of the fighting below them, where there were still a fair number of Spaartis facing off against the clankers and their tanks. As the clones watched, the Jedi's hand lifted in what would have been a gesture of warding on any other being. On Anakin Skywalker, it was deadly.

A blast of energy expelled out from the Jedi with enough power to knock back the clankers as if they were nothing more than leaves being tossed by the wind. It also – much to Rex's dismay – shoved aside most of the Spaartis that had been in the area, and the captain could only watch as they tumbled away, lost to the snow and to the blaster-bolts of the droids who had been out of range from Skywalker's Force-push.

"Kriffing hell," Jesse breathed. "He just...all those clones...gone..."

"Collateral damage, I guess," Fives added, his voice dark and grim.

Rex felt much the same.

* * *

Later, in the aftermath of battle-chaos, the wind had slowed to a manageable shuffle, making the area eerily quiet. Rex and his brothers' task of picking through the snow and searching for any survivors would have been a little bit easier had there been more survivors to find. At best, there were a handful, and Rex heard someone lament that Torrent would be receiving another bout of transfers.

"Times like this, I almost miss that stick-in-the-mud Lieutenant Appo," Jesse was saying to Tup as they stood nearby Rex, who was crouched over one of the Spaartis.

"_Captain _Appo," Tup corrected in a hushed voice. "As of last week, remember? Skywalker promoted him before he was sent off to work with another unit of the 501st."

The Spaarti that lay before Rex was dead from exposure, had probably been so within a few minutes, as his armor had been compromised. In the hours since they'd won the battle, Rex had not found one living man save those who had walked away from the fighting, and he suddenly felt like a massive, crushing weight had settled over his entire body. He knew that Ojom would be considered a victory, but again he thought that the cost was too high.

Expendable, the lot of them.

But this soldier had not died from a droid. Rex was no medic, but even he could see that the soldier's leg had been broken by the impact of landing after bearing the brunt of Skywalker's Force-push; coupled with the compromised state of his armor, this man hadn't had a chance of survival.

While it had happened, Rex had marked where each soldier had fallen when the Jedi had "saved" them and set the tanks back, all the while feeling a coil of misgiving in his gut because Fives' words about _collateral damage _had hit too close to home. As much as he wanted to respect – hell, to _like _– Skywalker all the time, the action was unconscionable. Men, good men, if not the best, were dead, and it could have been avoidable had Anakin – he was no general, not right now – simply communicated what he intended to do so that the clones could get out of the way.

It would be different, right now.

The truth was, Skywalker may have been a good soldier, but Rex had seen him lose control on more than one occasion, especially if he was distracted or preoccupied, and it was widely acknowledged that the 501st didn't have high casualty numbers simply due to the dangerous missions they were assigned. Collateral damage, while often unavoidable, was supposed to be prevented at all costs, whether or not those affected were considered expendable.

Rex knew there was no use dwelling on such things, but he had a difficult time justifying Skywalker's behavior, especially here, especially now, when even in the slightest hiss of wind he could hear Krell's laughter.

* * *

_Three and a half weeks prior to Order 66..._

* * *

_Rex: Even though the HoloNet said that the Republic won Ojom, it wasn't until I heard from you and knew that you were safe that I considered it a "victory." I try not to worry too much – I know you can take care of yourself, and that you and your brothers look out for one another – but it's difficult. _

_Still waiting on my application to be accepted, or "re-accepted," I suppose. "Pending," is the only response I get each time I check; I've been in contact with my former supervisor on the _Resolute_, who's trying to get me back there, so there's a bit of hope._

_Iri is doing wonderfully, and it's better than I can say to be with her. She's taken a shine to you over our holo-calls, as she keeps asking me when we're going to talk to you again. I think she likes your armor...like mother, like daughter, I guess. _

_Anyway, I'll keep checking on my application, and the moment I hear anything, I'll let you know. _

_Please stay safe, Rex. I love you. _

* * *

Despite the chill that still clung to the breeze, the sun was warm on Brenna's back as she sat on the lowest step of the front porch, watching her daughter and her nephew at play. From what she could tell, the sandbox in Caith and Edme's yard was currently something of a battle-ground, with each child controlling their own "army" of toys; save for the occasional shriek, they were relatively quiet, which meant that Brenna could frown at her datapad in peace.

_Status of Brenna Damaris: Application Approval Pending. _

It was unchanged since this morning, unchanged since last night and the previous afternoon; it was unchanged from nearly two weeks ago, and she was trying not to be frustrated. Brenna felt like she was being ripped in two, because she loved being near her daughter but she missed Rex. His absence was a yawning emptiness within her heart that could not be filled by Iri, nor Caith or Edme. The thought of him in danger caused a tightness in her chest, so she tried not to dwell on it too often.

She usually failed.

Brenna set down her 'pad and pulled out her comlink, studying it for a moment while the kids shrieked at one another in the background. She'd made a few mods to this one so that she could try and listen into the GAR channels like she'd done on the _Resolute, _but her distance from the ship coupled with a decided lack of military tech around made it all but impossible. Mostly she had to rely on the HoloNet for news of recent battles, which was vague at best; rarely were the clones mentioned, and if they were, it was only a few nondescript words. Casualty numbers were never given, and certainly no individual clones were noted.

Since he'd been busier than normal lately, the calls they could manage between them had become sporadic, and over the last few days she only knew that Rex was alive because of his messages. The more recent ones had been perfunctory, but she took a moment to re-read each of them, imagining that she could hear him speak the words.

Suddenly, it was too quiet. Alarmed, Brenna glanced back up at the children, noting with relief that Iri was only studying something in her hand; if she squinted, Brenna could make out what appeared to be a feather of some kind. A moment later, she watched as her daughter scrambled to her feet and darted across the yard towards the porch.

When Iri came to a halt before her, the little girl held up the feather and gave Brenna a look that was filled with pride. "Mama! Bird!"

"It belonged to a bird," Brenna replied with a smile, holding out her hand. After Iri gave it to her, she twirled the feather so that it glinted in the sunlight. "Probably a meadowlark...see the blue on the tip?"

Iri nodded; Brenna handed it back to her daughter, watching with amusement as Iri mimicked her movements and twirled the feather for a moment, apparently lost in thought. Finally she looked back at her mother, her expression hopeful. "Send Rex?"

It was an effort to keep her face neutral, and Brenna thought that Iri could see the change in her eyes at the mention of Rex's name. "I don't think we can send it, honey," she said, rubbing Iri's arm in a comforting motion when her daughter's face fell. "But why don't you make a picture of it tonight? When you're done, I'll send that to him, instead."

After taking another moment to consider, Iri nodded. She pressed the feather back into Brenna's hand, then turned and darted back to Tavi, who'd begun building a fortress or castle of some kind in her absence.

"Who's Rex?" Caith's voice made Brenna turn; she had to shade her eyes with the flat of her hand to see him as he made his way down the steps to sit beside her. "Someone you met on the _Resolute?" _

Brenna nodded, but said nothing as she examined the feather again, noting the way that it caught every color of the rainbow in the intense sunlight. Caith exhaled and leaned forward so that his knees were bent, with his elbows resting on top of them, and when he spoke he didn't look her way. "I thought you had...someone. You're on the that comlink all the time – even for you – and you've been pretty mopey since you've been here."

"I haven't been..." At her brother's lifted brow, she gave a sigh. "Okay, I've been a little mopey. I miss him...a lot."

Caith gave a chuckle and patted her arm. "I figured. He's not a clone, is he?" The words were said in a joking manner, but all amusement drained from his face at her hesitation. "Bren..."

She took a breath and looked back at Iri and Tav, at the distant clouds and mountains, at the wavering grass and the hydenock trees. When Caith spoke again, his voice held an edge. "I can't believe this...you know you're going to get hurt again, right?"

"Rex is _nothing_ like Tucker," she replied, glaring at her brother.

"He's a clone."

"He's a man," she retorted. "One of the good ones. The best one, actually. They're not the same...none of them are the same as any other."

There was anger in her tone, and Caith lifted his hands in a gesture of peace. "Alright, I believe you. I'm just trying to look out for my little sister, okay? You don't have the best luck with guys-"

"Rex isn't like Arcas, either," she added. "Trust me." A breeze tugged at her hair and she felt a little too chilly for the duration as she thought of her first love, who'd broken her heart well before she'd met Tucker.

Finally she sighed and glanced at her brother again. "It's just...I miss Rex more than I thought possible. Even though I'm home and I know I should be happy, I feel like..." She frowned and glanced at her comm. "Like I'm missing a piece of myself."

Beyond them, Iri and Tav were bickering about something involving the castle they were building, but it hadn't yet reached a level where the adults would have to intercede. She was quiet for a moment, then she gave her brother a small smile. "I think you'd like him."

As he watched his son and niece, Caith nodded, despite the wariness in his eyes. Finally he exhaled and looked back at her. "I don't want you to get hurt again."

"Neither do I," she replied at once. "And neither does he."

* * *

_This chapter and the next were originally one very, very long piece, so I chose to break them up in two parts. _

_When I set about writing this fic, I wanted to draw many more comparisons between Krell and Anakin, but decided to pull back from that idea for a variety of reasons. At this stage in his character's development, Anakin's not a villain; he makes bad choices sometimes, but he's _not _like Krell in that he's not selfish and cruel. However, he does have a tendency towards reckless action, and he doesn't regard the Spaarti clones as being on the same "level" as clones like Rex, Fives and Jesse. _

_Note on pronunciation: I probably should have said this waaay back when, but Irini's name is pronounced "Year-eee-nee." ("Year-eee" for her nickname) It's not pivotal to the story or anything, but I thought I'd let you know. :)  
_

_Next time: the countdown continues.  
_

_Thank you for reading! :D  
_


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

* * *

___Three weeks prior to Order 66..._

* * *

_Bren: This has to be a short one, I'm afraid. We're being deployed almost as I write this, and it looks to be a long haul. There's talk of Torrent heading to the Core at some point, but it might just be a rumor. _

_I'm still going to speak to Ahsoka; she might be able to put in a good word for your transfer back to the _Resolute_. I know it's a long shot, but it's worth a try._

_I miss you more than I can say, but it helps to know that you and Iri are safe. I'll comm again as soon as I can. All my love, Rex._

_Also, thank Iri for the "feather." It made my day._

* * *

For once, the _Resolute _was at peace.

Having just finished a bloody campaign on an unnamed, Outer-Rim moon, the _Venator-_class ship was between missions for the moment, making its way through hyperspace towards the next destination: Naboo. By all accounts it was supposed to be a blue-milk run, something about transferring supplies...in all honesty Rex wasn't really concerned with the matter, as his mind was too occupied with the health of his men and the persistent ache of loss that he wished could be filled with Bren's presence.

Of course it was a selfish desire, that of wanting her to be with him when it was so much better for her to be with her daughter, but there it was.

Luckily, this late in the _Resolute_'s cycle, no one else was about, and he had the mess-hall to himself, so there was no one to see him push around the "food" on his plate with a grimace. Rex wasn't hungry, particularly not for the unappetizing moray of food-supplements that the mess contained, but he thought it wise to eat something; if Kix or Coric thought that the captain was neglecting his own health, the medics would likely shove some ration cubes down his throat anyway, so in a sense Rex figured he was practicing a kind of conflict-avoidance tactic.

"Cred for your thoughts?"

Ahsoka's voice slipped into his attention gently, prying between his sorrow and his loneliness and making him turn towards her as she sat beside him at the empty table. As she did so, she slid a cup of fresh caf his way, a mug of tea resting before her. "I know I just got back, but you seem...sad," she added, her eyes flickering to his full plate then back up to his face. "Is everything okay with Brenna?"

Perhaps in the past he would have said "fine" and tried to shrug away her concern; it was, after all, an intensely personal matter that had nothing to do with his role in the GAR. But Ahsoka was his friend, and it wasn't in quite the same way as Fives was. And – he realized – she had been busy with her own affairs recently, and had likely not heard his most recent news.

So he exhaled and looked her way. "Bren had to return to her homeworld for a time – family emergency. We're not sure when she'll be back. Or," he added with a grimace. "If she'll be able to come back to the _Resolute,_ at all_._"

At the words, Ahsoka's blue eyes widened, and her lips parted in surprise, the expression conveying sympathy. "I'm sorry, Rex...that's..."

"Yeah," he replied with a slow nod. "It is. Thanks." He paused, then took a sip of the caf she'd brought: hot, sharp, but could've used a bit more sugar.

The Padawan was quiet for a moment, fingering the handle of her mug, then she shot him a careful look. "I've never seen you this way."

The words were unexpected. Rex blinked at her, then looked down at his mug, studying the contents as he spoke. "I miss her...it gets worse each day."

When she nodded he looked back up, and could see the concern still evident in her expression; it was concern, but it was not yet understanding. With a sigh, Rex held her eyes and spoke with deliberation. "I love her, kid."

Ahsoka held perfectly still for a heartbeat, then crossed her arms before her on the table and tilted her head upwards as if daydreaming. "Captain Rex in love," she said after a moment, the words holding a faint, teasing edge that was her way when she was trying to make him smile. "I never thought I'd see the day. Who knew you had a soft, mushy side under all that armor?"

She knew him well and Rex couldn't help but chuckle at her tone, though he could have done without the imagery. A look of relief crossed her face as she noted his reaction, and she smiled back. After a moment, he exhaled again and considered her. "I have a favor, Ahsoka."

"Name it and it's yours," she replied, sitting up and giving him that overly serious look that reminded him of the kid he'd met at the start of the Wars.

He smiled, both at her insistence and the memory. "Would you please put in a good word for Brenna? Maybe if the GAR has a Jedi's recommendation, they'd be more inclined to speed up her application – even assign her back here."

When her face fell he tried not to feel the sting of disappointment. Seeing his reaction, she sat up and slid her mug out of the way so that she could set a hand on his gauntlet. "Of course I will, Rex," she said with a warm look that was edged with sorrow. "It's just...I don't know how much good it'd do. We don't have much say in the civilian contractors that come through, and besides...I'm only a lowly Padawan."

"You're a Jedi," he responded in a firm voice. "They'll listen to you, I'm certain." _I hope._

Ahsoka didn't look convinced, but she nodded anyway. After a moment she took a deep breath and cast another glance his way. In a direct contrast to how she'd seemed before, there was a maturity in her eyes that he'd noticed more and more every time he saw her. As surely as he'd been changed by recent events, she'd grown up as well, and it was moments like these where he thought he knew her better than anyone else. "I know it's hard being parted from the one you love, Rex. Trust me...I wish I didn't."

Startled, Rex sat up and leveled his gaze on her. He remembered her saying that she'd been able to find snatches of time with Bonteri, especially when the _Resolute_ made its way to Coruscant, but he'd never thought that it would amount to something so serious. "You...and _him_? Love?"

A dark flush swept through her montrals and she gave a graceful shrug. "Yeah. Kind of took me by surprise...I mean, I know he's an idiot sometimes, but his heart's in the right place. But don't ask me about the Jedi Code," she added with knitted brow-lines. "I'm still figuring all that out."

Recalling his conversation with Skywalker, Rex shook his head. "If it's any consolation, I don't think you're the only one."

At this, she cast him a curious look; after a beat he elaborated. "He admitted as much to me about two months ago. We were right about Senator Amidala, after all."

"Padmé?" Ahsoka frowned, then gave a deep exhale. "I wonder if that's why he's been so...distracted lately?"

"I don't know," Rex replied. "But it's...unsettling, sometimes. Did you hear about Ojom?" She shook her head and he related the battle to her; when he mentioned how Skywalker had tossed the Spaarti clones aside as well as the droids, Ahsoka's face darkened.

Once he'd finished, she shook her head again, out of disbelief. "I'll talk to him," she said at once. "I know it won't bring those men back, Rex, but I have to say something."

Rex nodded and sipped his caf. The conversation had been something of a diversion, but Brenna's absence gnawed at him constantly, and he wished again that they were together. However, it was also nice – in a different way, of course – to sit here with Ahsoka and speak so frankly.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, then he sighed and scowled down at his mug. Ahsoka gave him a look. "What is it, Rexter?"

"We're a fine pair."

She grinned, then lifted her mug to him; Rex raised his cup of caf and they _clicked_ them together. "To love," Ahsoka said right before she took a sip. "Hopefully it won't always suck so badly."

Again, he had to laugh at her words and her jovial tone. "Hear, hear."

* * *

_Two weeks prior to Order 66..._

* * *

_Rex: Thank your friend for me, but I don't know how much good even a Jedi can do right now; still no new news on my application, and when I comm'd the placement office yesterday I was told that the Supreme Chancellor has put a freeze on all new GAR personnel assignments "until further notice." However, since I'm technically a re-hire and not a brand-new hire, I was told that there is still some hope for my placement._

_Of course, they said that it will take time. _

_Anyway, Iri and I are doing well. We're supposed to visit my mother tomorrow and I'm a bit nervous; I haven't been home since I left over seven years ago, and we only recently started talking again. _

_I miss you, Rex. I think about you constantly, and I hope that this blasted war will end soon; if it does, maybe we can figure something out. Alderaan's lovely...I think you'd like it, here. _

_Stay safe. I love you._

* * *

The house where Brenna and Caith had grown up rested in the shadow of Zephyr Mountain, a place well-suited to its name. The moment that she stepped out of the speeder she'd borrowed from her brother and sister-in-law, Brenna was assaulted by a series of gusts that threatened to rip her hair from its holder and toss it above her head. Luckily, it was a brief burst of wind and it quieted as she unbuckled Iri from the speeder-seat.

"Mama?" The question in her daughter's voice made Brenna turn; Iri's chubby finger was outstretched and pointing towards a series of low barns to the left. Beyond the barn, there was a grassy pasture where she could make out the quagga as they grazed. Iri cast her a curious look. "Mama...see pony?"

"Quagga," she replied, hefting Iri on her hip as she began to walk towards her mother's front door. "They're like ponies, but they're not as nice," she added with a grimace, thinking of the copious kicks and bites she'd received as she'd grown up around the equines.

"Cwag...cwag-gah," Iri said, frowning over the word as she turned her head to watch the creatures; a moment later she sighed. "Pretty."

"They are very pretty," Brenna agreed with a smile. "As long as you look and _don't_ touch, like we talked about. Remember?"

She felt her daughter nod, but missed the soft reply. The gravel that led to her mother's house was loud under her shoes, and again Brenna debated turning around and leaving, because this was really the last place in the galaxy she wanted to be right now. But, she reasoned with herself, it was necessary to come here, to make peace with her mother and to let Iri meet her grandmother. Family was important.

Situated at the top of a gently sloping hill, her mother's house was of an older make, wooden but very solid, and had withstood the test of about seventy years' worth of winter winds and summer heat; although it wasn't as large as some of the other ranch homes in this area, Brenna had always felt that this place would be around forever, even after the mountain crumbled to dust and the persistent winds finally died down.

As she climbed the steps, Brenna glanced around. Nothing had changed: there was the rickety old swing that she'd broken a number of times during her youth – not by being careless, certainly, because it really _was _old and rickety; there was that hole that Caith had made one summer when he'd been searching for his pet field-fox who'd run away and hidden beneath the porch; there was the faded "welcome" plaque at her mother's door, the one that Brenna had always hated because the "c" was crooked and the lettering as a whole was ugly and hardly legible. Apparently her mother still refused to get a new one.

She stood before the door, hand unmoving even as it was poised to knock.

"Mama...see ponies? Please?" In her arms, Iri cast her another curious look that was also filled with hope; coupled with chubby cheeks and wide, honey-brown eyes, the expression was almost too adorable to resist, and had they been anywhere but her mother's house, Brenna probably have complied.

"Soon, sweetheart," she replied as she rapped three times against the door. _Maybe Mom got the days confused and she'd not in..._

No such luck. The door opened immediately, revealing the form of Jensine Damaris. Shorter than Bren by several handspans, the blonde woman had the look of someone who could go from cooking a dinner for thirty to skinning a nerf without batting an eyelash; she was petite but there was a solid look to her, like she could slam her fist into a durasteel wall and the wall would be the thing that yelped in pain. "Hello, Brenna."

"Hi, Mom."

Jensine's eyes, a surprisingly mild blue, fixed onto Iri, who'd twisted around to observe her grandmother. When she spoke, there was a softer tone to her voice than Brenna had heard in a long time. "Hello, Irini. Do you know who I am?"

Iri was quiet for a moment, her fingers tightening on Brenna's shirt as she nodded but didn't speak. Jensine shot Brenna an unreadable look, then placed a tan, weathered hand on her own chest. "I'm your grandmother, Jensine. I'm your mother's mother."

"We talked about Nana, remember?" Brenna added, glancing down at her daughter, who met her gaze with uncertainty.

As Brenna was about to apologize, Iri looked at Jensine and gave a hopeful smile. "Nana...see ponies?"

_Those damn quagga, _Brenna thought with a sigh. _She'll never be satisfied until we visit them. _"She means the quagga, Mom. She's been dying to see them."

Jensine straightened, clearly pleased. "Well, then we'll have to accommodate her in a little while, won't we?" She stepped aside, allowing Brenna entry, and the younger woman was struck at once by how everything was _the same. _

Just like the outside, the interior of the house refused to succumb to the passage of time; save for a few new prize ribbons lined up along the mantle of the massive, brick fireplace, everything was as it had been the last time Brenna had been inside her mother's home.

It was cluttered without seeming to be, as much of the clutter was the useful sort that could be found on a ranch like this: bits of tack – saddles, bridles, the odd stirrup strap or two – were scattered about the space, filling the living room with the scent of leather and soap; pics – stills and holos – clung to every available surface, walls and end-tables, and Brenna could see her own face at various ages looking back at her as she and Iri stepped into the living room, as if she was staring into the past.

Of course, Iri was instantly fascinated by everything, and began squirming in Brenna's arms, anxious to _touch _all of the newness. But all Brenna could see were heavy things that could fall and delicate things that could break, and since she had no desire to chase after the toddler, she held her with an iron grip.

Iri was not pleased. "Mama! Down?"

"No, Iri..."

"Mama, _please_?"

Jensine watched the struggle for a moment, then cleared her throat. "There's almost nothing here that she can harm, Brenna. Just let her take a look around."

"Yes!" Iri added in agreement, adding another hopeful look and a very deliberate, "_Please_, Mama?"

"Mom...she's two," Brenna replied with a shake of her head, struggling to contain her daughter's flailing limbs. "I know she's little, but she can be _very_ destructive..."

At this, Jensine snorted and crossed her arms. "I remember what two-year olds are like, Brenna. You weren't exactly _serene_ yourself."

"Mama! Down!"

Experience had taught that it was useless to argue with Jensine Damaris for any length of time. Suppressing a frown, Brenna bent and set Iri on the slat-wood floor and gave her daughter a meaningful look. "I want your word that you'll be _very _careful, Iri," she said in a stern voice, trying to inflect some of Rex's more commanding tones that always got results – with his men, anyway.

She wondered how he'd fare against a toddler. "Say 'I promise I'll be careful Mama.'"

The little girl's face was solemn as she nodded. "Care-ful, Mama. _Pro_-mise."

With a sigh, Brenna stood up; for several moments, she and Jensine watched the toddler make her way around the room, inspecting everything at her eye-level, above and below. As she was crouching on her hands and knees, peering beneath the sofa, Jensine shot Brenna an amused glance. "You've done a good job with her."

Brenna thought of all the time she'd spent away from Iri's side. "It doesn't feel that way, sometimes."

"You were a regular terror at her age," Jensine replied with a shake of her head. "A new tantrum practically every hour. She's quite well-behaved...I imagine she gets it from-"

Abruptly, Jensine's mouth snapped shut, and she knelt down and called softly to the toddler, who approached her after a moment. As she watched her mother and her daughter, Brenna pushed away the flare of indignation she'd felt from the words in lieu of speculation.

How much of Tucker was in Iri? How many of the "altered genetics" had made their way into her daughter? She was a handful, as most young children were, but she did listen rather well, considering the horror stories that Brenna had heard from other parents through time. There were no children of clones elsewhere – that she knew of, anyway – so Brenna had no way of knowing if Iri's behavior was a result of Kaminoan meddling, or if she was just...

"No, Irini!" Jensine's voice rose above a shattering sound; looking up, Brenna bit back a chuckle as Iri stood amidst the glittering remains of a crystal thranta statue, one of the only decorative pieces that had been in the room. Immediately, Brenna's mother swept the little girl in her arms and frowned at Brenna, who gave her an innocent smile.

"Perhaps we should visit the quagga, now," Jensine said with a sigh.

Iri brightened. Brenna's smile widened as she looked from her daughter to her mother. "Want me to clean that up, Mom?"

"No, thank you," Jensine replied, setting Iri back on the ground well-away from the broken crystal. "I'll get one of the kids to do it, later."

Before the little girl could protest at being taken away, Brenna took her hand and mentioned the quagga to her; as she'd hoped, Iri's attention shifted from the shiny, pretty new things in the living room to the "ponies," and she eagerly nodded. As they slipped out the front door and began to walk around the house, towards the stables, Brenna cast her mother a look. "The kids? Do you mean the station-hands?"

Iri tugged at her hand as if to draw them closer to the quagga, but the adults kept their pace steady. Jensine shook her head. Once they'd left the house, she'd placed a wide-brimmed hat over her head to shield her face from the sun, which was burning in the clear sky. "No station-hands this season," she said with a shrug. "I've been paying the neighbors' kids to stop by and take care of some of the chores."

The gravel driveway that led to the main stable yard took them down a sloping hill; on either side was thick, pale grass that swayed beneath the ubiquitous wind. The clips that had held Iri's fair hair in place had mysteriously vanished, and the toddler's baby-curls were being tossed by the breeze as she tugged her mother's hand again as they approached the stables.

Brenna surveyed the area: two low buildings outfitted for forty quagga each, twenty stalls on either side of an open walkway, with rooms for tack and other equipment, as well as rooms upstairs for any hired hands. Additionally, there was a storage barn for the hay, feed and other items, kept safe from rodents and pests by a humming energy shield at its base.

"The neighbors have their own stock to worry about," Brenna replied after a moment, after urging Iri to_ slow down_. "They can't possibly be that much of a help. Why don't you just hire-"

"I don't need any more help," her mother interrupted with a scowl. "I can manage just fine on my own. I've kept this place running smoothly ever since your father died, and I'll continue to do so."

Brenna took a deep breath. "Mom, you're _one _person. You can't run a business and take care of all the stock on your own...it's just _too_ much."

"Times are...different," Jensine replied, lifting her hand as if to wave Brenna's words away. "Those blasted Wars make everyone skittish as foals; if they're not running off to join one side or another, they're too scared that the fighting will find its way here to do much else but stick their heads in the ground. Good help is hard to come by. If you'd stuck around, you would remember that."

There was bitterness in her voice, old and stale, but it stung nonetheless. "I didn't leave to spite you, Mom. I left because I didn't want to live here for the rest of my life. I wanted to do..._more_."

Jensine narrowed her eyes in the manner of someone fighting back her words; indeed, she didn't say anything for a few minutes as they approached the main pasture. A swift count revealed that there were at least two dozen quagga grazing on the thick grass, with a handful of knobby-legged foals cavorting between the more stately adults.

Iri nearly lunged out of Brenna's grasp in an effort to be closer to the animals, all while calling, "Pretty! Pretty! See, Mama?"

"I see them, Iri."

The glossy, russet coats of the equines stood out among the grass; their manes were short, bristling up along curving necks to end in a tuft between the quaggas' large ears. Slender tails with swatches of white and black hair that peppered the ends flicked across flanks and fetlocks, chasing away any insects who approached. Brenna's favorite part of the quagga, however, were the rows of wavy stripes that started at their noses and moved down through their shoulders, fading once they reached about mid-torso.

In her opinion, they weren't the friendliest creatures, but they _were_ pretty. At the humans' approach, several of the closest quagga lifted their heads and cast inquiring looks towards the two-legged interlopers; moments later, when Jensine led her daughter and granddaughter towards the fence, they began to walk over, ears tilted forward and nostrils flaring.

Jensine pulled out a handful of small carrots from her pocket and glanced at Brenna, who shook her head. "They're perfectly gentle, Brenna," Jensine said with a roll of her eyes. "You just don't like them, and they pick up on your feelings."

"It's hard to like something that's given you as many bruises as they have," Brenna replied. Before her, Iri was staring open-mouthed at the nearest quagga, a juvenile with a particularly vibrant array of stripes.

"Pretty..." the toddler whispered, reaching her hand out. As Brenna bent to pull her daughter back, the juvenile quagga stuck its head through the slats of the fence – which wasn't, Brenna noted with annoyance, supplemented with energy shields like it should have been – and lipped at Iri's hair. In response, Iri let out a shriek of joy that sent some of the quagga back a few steps; the juvenile, however, didn't seem fazed, instead whickering softly and moving its nostrils down to nose the small Human.

Brenna swallowed, then looked at her mother, who wore a rather pleased expression. "Here," the older woman said, handing Brenna a carrot. "Let Iri feed her this. Nova's fine, Brenna," she added with another eye-roll as Brenna frowned. "One of the most gentle quagga I've ever seen. She'll make a fine mount, one day."

The quagga's ears were flexed forward as she tracked the carrot's movements with great interest; with a sigh, Brenna knelt beside Iri and held up the carrot. "Do you want to feed her, Iri?"

At the little girl's nod, Brenna took another breath. "Hold out your palm flat," she said, demonstrating with her free hand. "Keep _very_ still and don't shout at her, okay?"

Iri did so; her tiny hand was about as still as it could be, the palm facing skyward. Brenna placed the carrot on Iri's palm, and the quagga called Nova shifted her head forward through the fence slats again to reach the treat. As Brenna watched with trepidation, the creature used her mouth – not her teeth – to gently lip up the carrot; sounds of satisfied crunching were evident a moment later. Around her, the others had returned, eager for a handout.

For one moment, Iri was frozen, her eyes fixed on the quagga with wonder, then she turned to Brenna, beaming. "Mama! Nice pony!"

"She is, Iri," Jensine replied with a chuckle. "Want to feed her again?" Nodding, Iri held out her hand; as they watched her feed the quagga, Jensine shot Brenna a glance. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Brenna made noncommittal noise and kept her eyes on her daughter, while also keeping tabs on the creatures themselves. After a moment, she looked back at her mother, briefly. "She's really having fun. Thanks, Mom."

"Of course she is," Jensine replied with a nod. She paused, ran her hand along the edge of her hat, then looked at the horizon. "Thank you for bringing her here. I was worried..."

"Mom..."

Jensine sighed and looked back at her. "I meant what I said before; I want things to be different. I want to know my granddaughter and...my daughter. I know that there's...a lot between us, but I want to move past it."

The wind lifted Brenna's hair, finally dragging it free of the elastic that had been holding it in place. "Me too."

Nodding, Jensine glanced at Iri, who was tentatively stroking the velvety nose of the juvenile quagga, whose eyes were half-closed as if in pleasure. "Family is important," she said in a quiet voice as Brenna worked to gather her hair up. "The most important thing, I think. And even when you go back to the GAR, I want you to know that you have a place here, Brenna. Always."

No immediate response came to her at this, so Brenna only nodded.

* * *

_Quagga are actually "real" animals; well, they were real, though they are extinct, now. I needed an equine-like creature and didn't care for the ones on Wookieepedia, so I took a bit of creative liberty. ;)_

_Endless thanks to _**SerendipityAEY**_ for her "toddler" feedback for this chapter! _

_Thank you all for reading! _

_Next time: Countdown's over. _


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Rex was seated in the Corrie barracks with Ahsoka, Fives, Kix and Tup when Jesse barreled into the room, his limbs moving almost too quickly for the rest of him to catch up while he held his comm aloft like a trophy. The moment he entered the doorway, the troopers and the Jedi, who'd been engaged in a game of sabacc at one of the rounded tables, looked up to see the tattooed clone's face alight with joy.

"General Kenobi did it," he exclaimed, his voice breathless. "On Utapau...he killed Grievous! The head clanker's finally dead!"

Just prior to this, there had been a spurt of raucous laughter – everyone was between missions and just thankful to be at rest for a moment – but the sound died in an instant at Jesse's words. Rex was the first to react, nearly coming out of his seat as he bolted upright, his heart hammering with the implications if it were really true. "Are you...?"

Jesse gave him a look that would have been _knowing_ had he not been grinning so hard. "Yeah, Cap. I'm sure."

Rex sat back into his chair; the movement was heavy even though something inside of him, something that had been tightly coiled and withdrawn, floated loose, adrift into space.

The War was over.

"Master Obi-Wan..." Ahsoka said, looking at the tattooed clone with wide eyes. "He's okay, right?" Jesse nodded and a look of relief crossed her face. "Thank the Force," she whispered.

"The Seps are being routed by the 212th as we speak," Jesse added, nodding to his comm, and Rex wondered if Cody was alive. Probably...stubborn _di'kut_ was impossible to take down for any length of time. "But I imagine it's just a formality at this point."

Tup whooped with joy, slamming his fist down then leaping up to embrace Jesse, Kix and an amused Ahsoka. As the others celebrated, Fives shot Rex a careful look. They were sitting next to one another, so when Fives spoke it was easy for the captain to hear his words. "What now?"

"I don't know." Shaking his head, Rex cast a glance around the room; it was empty, save for himself and the others. He needed to call Bren, to tell her the news.

The thing inside of him that was drifting free was heading to Alderaan.

Rex knew that he was going to follow.

Around him, the others were laughing and talking, gesticulating wildly in speculation of how the fight with Grievous could have gone, and he didn't know how to break into their joy with his own realization.

It had been a tense week or so after the Corrie battle, after they'd been recalled from the Outer Rim to assist the Coruscant Guard in protecting the city against the Seps; everyone had been pleased when Skywalker and Kenobi had finished Dooku on the head clanker's ship, despite the fact that the battle on-planet had been grim. In many ways, however, it had been like old times, and Ahsoka had led the men of Torrent, "regular" and Spaarti alike, with her usual skill.

"What are we waiting for?" Jesse was saying, glancing around the empty billet. "We need to celebrate!"

Rex missed the others' reply, as in that moment his wristcomm emitted a soft chirrup, the cadence one that he barely recognized. No one else seemed to notice; Ahsoka was on her own comlink, a few steps away from the others, her face lit in an expression of joy as she spoke to the person on the other end – Bonteri, likely. Kix and Tup were still speaking with Jesse, but Fives' eyes had flicked to Rex at the sound of the incoming message. At Rex's gaze, Fives tilted his head in a questioning manner, as his own comm was silent. Rex shrugged, then raised his wrist to activated the transmission.

A blue, glowing figure – a man whose features were shadowed by a hooded cloak, similar to those the Jedi wore – emerged and spoke to him in a voice like boots against wet gravel. _"Execute Order 66."_

For one moment, all that Rex could do was stare at the image; as he did so, his entire body went still as if he'd even forgotten to breathe. Suddenly time was not moving, and he felt that every second was stretching into eternity even as he could still hear the others laughing in the background. He blinked once in surprise, because somehow he'd gotten to his feet but had no memory of doing so.

_Order 66_. His fingers were trembling. Absently, he glanced down at his right hand and realized that it was resting on the hilt of his blaster with practiced ease, so he very deliberately deactivated the transmission and hooked his thumbs in his belt, gripping the material harder than he should have. Rex took one deep breath, then another.

Even though he had no memory of learning the contingency order, the soldier in him understood what he was _supposed_ to do. However, the man he'd become found the idea to be unthinkable, especially in light of everything else that he'd experienced.

Rex had no idea if the Jedi Order was truly forming a rebellion against the Republic; he had no idea if they were dangerous as a whole, of if things like brutality and greed were relegated to a few individuals, but he thought that the latter was most likely. Jedi could make mistakes, could be distracted as surely as any non-Jedi. They were mortal: they could be right or wrong, they could be kind or cruel, they could love or hate.

The one thing that he was certain of was that the only Jedi nearby was innocent of any wrongdoing. As surely as he was a Human man who could make his own choices, Ahsoka was his friend and confidante, and he knew that could not gun her down in cold blood.

A similar chirrup nearby alerted him to the fact that Fives was receiving the same message, and he tensed again as he turned to look at the ARC. The others still appeared to take no notice, so Rex leaned over to his brother as the other clone activated the message, watching as his eyes widened and his fingers trembled. Rex put a hand on his gauntlet, obscuring the holo's image. "You're _not_ doing it."

"No, I'm not," Fives replied with a frown. "But..."

Before he could continue, Ahsoka put her comlink away and turned to the clones, who were still laughing happily. A quick mental calculation told Rex that the contingency order would be trickling to them within a few seconds, a fail-safe set in place should an officer not be in the position to transmit the message himself.

Sure enough, the others' comms began to flash in the next instant, and they looked down at their wrists in surprise, for such a transmission was unexpected right now, with the war "over" and everything. Kix reacted first, activating the message to voice-only and listening with a frown to the order that none of them had heard before, but were all familiar with by virtue of the Kaminoans and their painfully thorough training.

But suddenly Rex didn't care about any of that, because a strangled sort of gasp erupted from Ahsoka and she dropped to her knees, her hands clutching at her montrals and her eyes squeezing shut as if trying to block out all external stimuli.

Rex was out of his chair and kneeling at her side in an instant, placing a hand on her shoulder and repeating her name. In response, she gave a wordless groan and he watched as she started to hyperventilate; Rex had only the vaguest idea of how the Force worked, but he knew that Jedi could sense one another's emotions and thoughts sometimes, and if that was the case, Ahsoka was likely being assaulted by the feelings of the deaths of countless other Jedi.

Although Rex had chosen to disobey the order, he was certain that he was in the minority.

Had there been any doubt in his mind that he'd made the wrong decision it dissipated in an instant. As she was, doubled over and almost prone against the floor of the barracks, Ahsoka was helpless against what he imagined to be a crippling onslaught of pain and terror in the Force. She was his friend, she was an innocent, and the soldier within him recognized it as his duty to protect her in any way that he could; had she been Anakin, or Kenobi, or anyone that he'd worked so closely with, his choice would have been the same.

The thought struck him that this would involve getting her out of the barracks and off-planet, and even as his mind raced ahead to think of _something, _another, darker thought followed swiftly on the heels of the first.

Rex was pummeled by the understanding that if he did this, if he committed what would surely be labeled as _treason _and sacrificed his own well-being for that of his friend's, he had no way of knowing when he'd see the woman he loved again, if he ever would.

_Brenna, _he thought, his eyes closing for one moment as his entire body swelled with regret too big to contain within one man. _I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. _

But even as despair rested heavy on his shoulders and wrapped around his heart, Brenna's voice slipped into his thoughts. _"We take chances every day – some of us more than others, yes – but still...life is one big gamble."_

Nothing was certain, nothing was cast in immutable stone. Rex was alive, which meant there was hope, and for that he had to be grateful. He was alive and he was determined to get back to Brenna again, somehow. For that, he had to persevere, even though he didn't want to think about odds right now, stacked as they were against him.

It was his life; it was his choice, and he'd made it.

"Captain?" Kix's voice was soft; Rex looked up and saw that his brothers were standing around him as if waiting to see what he would do before they acted. Fives stood beside him and Ahsoka, almost between them and the rest, his expression guarded.

"What's it going to be, lads?" Rex heard himself say, slowly rising from his crouch beside the Padawan to meet their eyes, one after another. Beneath his armored chest, his heart was beating rather quickly and as he waited for their responses, Rex took another steadying breath to slow the encroaching rush of adrenaline. It was still quiet in the barracks; he wondered how long that would last.

Jesse frowned down at his hand, which held the power-pack to his deece, which was resting on a nearby crate within an arm's reach. With a trembling motion, he set the pack down upon the table and met his captain's eyes. "I think we've all learned that some orders aren't meant to be followed. We're with you, Captain. No matter what."

Beside him, Tup and Kix nodded in agreement, and as he watched them distance themselves from their weapons with varying degrees of difficulty, Rex felt his shoulders relax a fraction.

A soft noise from Ahsoka caught his attention, and when he glanced back at her his heart tightened with pity. His friend looked pale and completely terrified, but he could see that she was attempting to pull herself together even as she murmured something incoherent, then shuddered; her breathing was shallow but growing steadier and she was clenching her jaw, all of which he recognized as signs of someone who was fighting for control.

"Ahsoka, a contingency order has been sent out to all clone troopers, ordering the deaths of the Jedi," he said, kneeling back beside her and touching her shoulder again, hoping to help draw her out of her frightened stupor. "But we're going to get you to safety."

At his words her eyes grew even larger but she still seemed incapable of speech. Behind him, Tup cleared his throat. "The order states that the Jedi are rebelling against the Republic...that's not true, right Commander?"

"No, Tup," Ahsoka managed to reply at last, blinking rapidly and shaking her head. "We...we fought beside you for three years...how could we...why would...?"

Tup's head bowed and he nodded as he replied. There was trepidation in his voice, but Rex couldn't fault the younger clone for his moment of doubt. "I know, Commander. I was just-"

"There's no time for this," Fives said suddenly. "We need to figure out our next step."

Ahsoka's breath hitched as if she was about to start crying, but she worked through it and managed to speak. "Lux," she said after a moment, holding out her comlink in a shaking hand. "He's...here."

It was the comlink that Brenna had provided, forever ago, and Rex bit back another swell of regret as he took the device, though it was mitigated by the fact that he remembered that any transmissions made from the comlink couldn't be traced. Around them, the others exchanged bewildered glances, but Rex took the comlink and activated the code that would call the point to which the last transmission was made.

As he waited for the link he nodded to Tup. "Get by the exit and keep a lookout. Under _no_ circumstances can anyone else come in here."

The younger clone darted off; while Rex waited – was the comm was taking too long, or was it just his agitation making it seem so? – he watched as Kix knelt by Ahsoka and offered a hypo. "It'll calm you down a bit, sir," the medic said in a gentle voice. Her dark lips pursed but she nodded, and after the soft _hiss_ of the spray filled the room he spoke again. "Not enough to slow you down, but enough to let you think clearly, right now."

The link to Bonteri caught, then immediately died. Rex gritted his teeth and tried again, pushing back the increasing knot of terror that was expanding within him with each moment. Jesse and Fives had taken up guard by the door as well, with Tup on the outside; Kix was helping Ahsoka to her feet.

Finally, _finally_, the link went through and the image of a young man bloomed before Rex; as he'd appeared on Onderon, Lux Bonteri had the bearing of someone who was born to better circumstances than those in which he found himself, but his eyes were filled with fear. They narrowed when Rex appeared, and his tone was wary.

_"Captain?"_

Rex nodded, but before he could say anything further, Lux Bonteri continued, clearly a hairsbreadth away from panic. "_Is Ahsoka hurt? What's going on? There's reports of a Jedi uprising...are you-"_

"She's fine," Rex broke in. "But she needs help. Do you have a way off-planet?" Coruscant wasn't safe – he didn't even want to think about the Jedi Temple – and he wondered if anywhere in the galaxy would be truly safe for her, now.

To his credit, Bonteri responded immediately and with surety. _"I do, but I'm reluctant to leave my ship unattended – there's been rumors of a planet-wide lockdown on space travel. If I have her with me, though, I'll see that she gets to safety. Can you get her to the Eastport Docking Facility? I'm in Section 75, Bay 67."_

"That's not far," Kix murmured. "I think we can manage it."

Rex's mind began working over the route; no, it wasn't far but nor was it as close as he would like. It was not an impossible task, but he had no idea how they would get her there intact.

"Lux," Ahsoka's voice broke Rex out of his thoughts and caused him to look over as she reached out to pluck the comlink from his hand. The blue wash of the holo shaded her face in an otherworldly glow, and despite the fact that he knew her for a warrior, in that moment she looked hopelessly fragile. "We'll be there soon."

Bonteri's eyes widened once she appeared in his field of vision, but the fear fled from his voice when he spoke again, as if seeing her alive, as if _knowing_ that she was okay gave him the strength he needed to keep going. _"Okay, 'Soka,"_ he said with a nod. _"I'll be here. I...love you. Be careful, okay?"_

Her mouth slipped into an odd, half-smile that Rex wondered if she'd picked up from him. "Be careful yourself, Lux. I love you, too."

When the transmission ended, she took a deep, shaking breath, then looked up at Rex. "What about you guys?"

Devoid of the comlink, Rex's hands had dropped to tight fists at his sides as a memory of Umbara crept through his mind again, in the form of Krell's voice. _"So...it's treason, then?" _

Yes, it _was_ treason, it was desertion, but it was also the right thing to do. Rex released a breath, loosened his hands and shook the memory away as he reoriented his attention back on his friend. As much as he wanted to tell Ahsoka not to worry about him, he knew that he and the others needed a contingency plan of their own if they were to escape this night unharmed, and if he was going to be able to reach Brenna.

Perhaps sensing his turmoil, Ahsoka put a hand on his gauntlet. "Come with me," she whispered, glancing around at the others, all of whom were listening. "Lux and I will give you a ride anywhere...like Alderaan," she added, giving Rex a meaningful look.

Behind them, Fives cleared his throat. "I've got a ride, actually," he said, a faintly sheepish smile on his face. At Rex's lifted brow he clarified. "Marliss and I...she's...we're..." His face reddened and he shifted his feet. "We were planning to go traveling for a while. Together."

Rex felt his eyes widen and Fives grimaced as he added: "It was going to be a surprise."

"Can she get away, now?" Ahsoka said, skipping past the inevitable questions. At Fives' nod, she took another breath and looked at Rex. "Arrest me."

"What?" Jesse's voice was stunned, the sentiment echoed by Tup and Kix, but Rex was quiet, waiting. In his experience, the fact that a Jedi's plans seemed outlandish did not mean that they were without rationality. Usually.

"None of us are going to blend in right now," she pointed out, indicating the clones' armor. "And it's so..." Her face contorted, the mask of calm slipping away for one instant to reveal how stricken she was, then she smoothed it back. "It's chaotic out there. We might have a chance to disappear in plain sight."

As much as Rex didn't want to admit it, she was right; with the Jedi declared as enemies, it was likely that no one would think to question one of them in the hands of a group of clone troopers.

It was a huge risk, to be sure, but he didn't think they had many other options, and Rex was acutely aware of the seconds that were ticking by in his head. He inhaled and thought of Alderaan. Maybe it would work out, after all. The hope was enough to calm him down so that he could put one thought in front of the other and find his composure.

"Okay," he said with a curt nod. "Here's the plan..."

* * *

_Rex: What's going on? I heard a rumor on the HoloNet that the Jedi have rebelled...but no one seems to know what's really going on. There's even talk of clones marching on the Temple on Coruscant, but I can't tell if Torrent is part of that group or not. _

_Most comm transmissions seem to be down, at least the ones going to Corrie, so I don't even know if you're getting these, but I hope so. Please let me know as soon as you can. I'm worried about you._

* * *

_A/N: Gah. I know, I know..._another_ cliffhanger. I promise I'm not doing it to torture you needlessly, but we are approaching the "gripping climax" of the story. ;)_

_I made some slight changes to the Rex/Lux conversation, as when I first wrote this, he and Lux had not met, as far as I knew. Obviously, that has changed with the Onderon arc, so I wanted to reflect that a bit here. _

_Please let me know what you thought of the guys' reactions to Order 66. :) It's always an interesting moment to write. _

_Thank you for reading!_

_Next time: Rex's plan in action._


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

While Rex normally insisted on leading the way, he was unwilling to leave Ahsoka's side until he knew she was safe, so he'd instructed Fives and Jesse to take point as they moved through the barracks. Kix was on Ahsoka's other side so that it looked like she was being "escorted" by the soldiers, while Tup was at their rear. Someone – he didn't remember who – had called Coric but hadn't gotten a response other than "we're fine," a fact that gnawed at him, but right now it was too dangerous to transmit anything more over the clones' comm channels, no matter how badly he wanted to know _more_.

But that couldn't be helped at the moment. Rex and his brothers had chosen a course of action and had to follow through.

The barracks were teeming with clones, mostly 501st, though Rex recognized several Coruscant Guards and a few from other legions as well, many of whom were Spaartis. Luck was with them; through the combined efforts of Ahsoka's senses and his brothers' adroit stealth abilities, the group managed to reach one of the rear exits to the barracks unmolested.

However, as they slipped out into the night, into air that should have been cool but wasn't for some reason, Rex heard the approaching slam of booted feet; he held up his hand in the signal to pause, and as he, Ahsoka and his brothers stood within the shadow of the building that housed the barracks, they watched as a squad of Spaartis came around the corner of the building, their pure-white armor glinting beneath a nearby street-light.

_Kriff. _

For one moment, the two groups faced each other. From his place in the shadows, a perfunctory examination told Rex that these men were shinies – as were most Spaartis – but he had no idea to which legion they belonged. There were five of them, and they fanned out before Rex and his brothers, raising their deeces and fixing the muzzles towards the Padawan, who was still quite noticeable, even surrounded by darkness.

"Orders are all Jedi are to be shot on sight," one of the Spaartis said in a clipped voice. "What are you lot waiting for?"

Since he'd been in the lead, Fives stepped forward in such a way that his kama swayed at his hips in an authoritative manner. "We've orders from command, trooper. This Jedi has an appointment with a firing squad."

"That sounds like a load of barve," another Spaarti replied. "What're you really doing with this Jedi filth, ARC-boy? Off to have a bit of fun before you blast her?"

At the clone's words, Rex felt anger rise like bile in his throat. Beside him, Ahsoka trembled, but kept her gaze level. In response to the Spaarti, the ARC gave a snort that should have been all arrogance, but it was undermined by the waver in his voice. "I told you, trooper: orders from command. Now move along."

The Spaartis did not lower their weapons.

_Kriff, kriff, kriff..._

Taking a breath, Rex moved from Ahsoka's side and made his way out of the shadows to the front of the group, noting how Kix shifted just a little closer to offer her support in his absence.

For one moment he stood facing the Spaartis, leveling the gaze of his distinctive jaig-eyed helmet upon them as he considered his words. In the back of his mind he'd hoped to escape the area without detection, but that hope seemed to be silly, now. Additionally, he and the others had already committed treason by leaving with Ahsoka; it was likely they would be wanted men, no matter what. Now, he thought, it was better to use his reputation for a final bit of good, instead of making a futile attempt to slink along the shadows unnoticed.

"Do you know who I am?" he growled at last, taking satisfaction in the way that the Spaartis each took a step back as he angled himself beneath the street-light, letting them get a good look at his armor. They nodded almost in unison, and he heard someone whisper his name and rank. "Then you can believe me when I say that we've received our orders and _are_ acting accordingly."

The Spaarti closest to him lifted a shaking hand in a salute. "_Sir_, yes sir. We were just-"

"I don't give a kriff what you were doing, trooper," Rex replied, injecting as much authority as he could muster into his voice. "Now, I recommend that you find someplace else to be...unless you'd like me to report _exactly_ which squad detained me from carrying out my duty with this Jedi."

Any other place, any other time, and he might have been able to find amusement in the way that the Spaartis scrambled around each other to get out of his way. Once they were out of sight, he returned to his place beside Ahsoka and spoke softly to the others. "Let's move out."

Coruscant was never quiet, and this night looked to be no exception. All around them were shouts and sirens, as if the citizens and _not_ the Jedi were rebelling, and as the clones and Ahsoka moved through the city, Rex marked how the place seemed to be teeming with fear. Perhaps the fear was the remnant of the battle that had taken place in the city not long ago, but to Rex it felt darker and more sinister, somehow.

The thought crossed his mind that he could ask Ahsoka, but he didn't want to trouble her right now, because of the smoke.

It was from the Jedi Temple, and it filled the air with a bitter, acrid taste that stuffed up his nose even through the filters of his bucket. It choked. Blinded. Above their heads the sky was glowing as if the entire world was on fire. Beside him, walking with halting steps, Ahsoka was crying silently, her eyes squeezed shut as Rex guided her "bound" hands along, urging her forward because it was his only purpose in this moment. As much as he wanted to offer her consolation, he knew it would be a lie.

All of the clones had turned in their helmets to the 501st channel, because Rex wanted to know what was going on, and right now he wished he didn't.

A company comprised of many members of the 501st had marched on the Jedi Temple and was attempting to burn it to the ground even as they executed all Jedi within it, adults and younglings, both. He also heard what must have been a wild, crazy rumor that a Jedi was _leading_ them, but hadn't caught the name, and in truth was too worried about Ahsoka and his brothers to care much about the unnamed Force-user.

Streetlights flickered above them as they made their way out of the barracks and towards the general direction of a nearby landing platform, where GAR-issued vehicles were kept. There were a few free right now, and Jesse had been confident that he could slice into one and requisition it for their use; he just needed a few minutes. So far, they'd been lucky, as there was no one around who would stop them. Since that first group, they'd seen few other clones, none of whom gave a second look to a group of their brothers escorting a traitorous Jedi, hopefully to her death.

_No_, Rex thought with a grimace._ Not their brothers._ _Mine_. His only true brothers – save Coric – were with him, now. There were a few others, scattered across the galaxy, but it was useless to dwell on them at the moment. They stopped at the nearest speeder, the only one large enough to accommodate their group, and Jesse slid into the driver's seat, the others glancing around warily. Rex prayed that his luck – if that's what it really was – would hold just a bit longer.

While they waited for Jesse, Ahsoka leaned against him, trembling, and he thought that he should try and comm Brenna since it looked like he had a spare moment. Sheathing his blaster, Rex removed his comlink from his belt and glanced through the messages; there was a recent one from her that he hadn't yet seen, so he quickly tapped out a reply, hoping to at least let her know he was alive.

However, it was kicked back to him with an error code. He tried again; same result. Another scan of her message indicated that transmissions to and from Corrie were being locked, and he gritted his teeth. _No, no, no..._

"Yes," Jesse hissed, causing him to look up at the speeder. "Got it."

Rex exhaled and stowed his comlink. "Everyone inside," he said, nodding to himself as his brothers and Ahsoka began to clamber in the vehicle, Kix helping the Jedi steady herself with her bound hands. Another glance around; they were still in the clear. "Fives, have you been able to contact Marliss? Transmissions on Corrie aren't working."

"She's going to meet us," the ARC replied as he slid beside Jesse. Rex came in last, his blaster in his hand again. Fives' voice was wry. "Said something about making off with a ship...that woman is crazy as me, and I love it."

There was something more than admiration in Fives' words, but Rex couldn't think about that, now. "Punch it, Jess," he said as the speeder roared to life. "Let's get the kriff out of here."

* * *

_Rex: It wasn't easy, but I managed to slice into a GAR channel, at last. Torrent wasn't on the list of groups that went to the Temple, but I still don't know what's going on. Are you okay? If you get this, just send a reply – any reply – and let me know you're alive. _

* * *

Rex didn't know what was going on with the Force, but he thought that luck was with them, at least for the moment. Once they'd approached the Eastport Docking Facility, Ahsoka had tucked herself at Rex and Kix's feet on the floor of the speeder so that she'd be out of immediate sight. It was a sloppy ruse but it seemed to have worked, as no one had stopped them from entering the EDF.

In addition to the general sense of chaos through the entire city, there was some kind of ruckus at the main entrance with a bunch of frightened civilians, which had taken up the security droids' attentions; as the clones and the Jedi searched for Hangar 75, Jesse moved the speeder at a painfully steady pace in order not to draw unnecessary attention.

Finally, _finally _they found the right hangar; from there, it was only a few more minutes until Bay 67 came into view. This was one of the more industrial, lower-end sections of the facility, made for ships clearly bigger than the one residing in this bay; above their heads, high ceilings were criss-crossed with massive, supporting beams of durasteel, creating a cavernous feel to the space.

The moment that the clones' speeder slowed before the elongated freighter that was resting inside, a young, dark-haired man approached. A blaster was in his hand and his eyes were wary...until they fell on Ahsoka, peering up at him from the floor of the speeder.

"Go around behind the engines," Bonteri murmured to Jesse, but his eyes were on the Padawan. "The security cams don't reach there."

During the journey, Ahsoka had maintained her composure but Rex could see that she was reaching her breaking point, and it took himself and Kix to help her out of the speeder. Once she was on her feet, she all but fell into the young man's arms, and the clones glanced away to give them a moment of privacy. As he did so, Rex tried not to think how much he missed Brenna, and fought back his impatience to be gone from this world.

"You're sooner than I thought," Bonteri was saying to her as he indicated the ship. "Normally the engines need another minute or so to warm up, but maybe luck will be with us and they'll be ready. I'm going to go check; I'll be right back."

While the young man disappeared into the ship, Rex and the others stood guard. Just as he was going to tell her to get on board as well, he saw Ahsoka giving him what was probably the only smile that she could manage at the moment.

"Thank you, Rexter." Before he could shrug off her words, she added in a quiet voice: "I owe you my life – again, I guess."

"I'll add it to the tab," he replied. When she chuckled, a part of him was pleased that he could make her laugh, even now.

Bonteri emerged from the ship and was beside her in the next instant, his arm around her waist to offer support. "We're in luck: the ship's prepped," he said with a nod. "And I've bribed the Harbormaster to let us leave at once..."

Rex didn't hear the rest of Bonteri's words, because all of a sudden his own battle-instincts had started screaming _danger, _and the captain felt his body tense involuntarily. The others did as well, then Fives cursed as they heard the sound of booted feet that was followed by the wail of an alarm.

"Blasted security tinnies at the entrance must have caught sight of her, somehow," the ARC muttered, glancing around.

Bonteri's face clouded but Rex shook his head and indicated the ship. "Get her out of here," he said as he reached for his pistols. "We'll cover you."

Nodding, the young man moved to draw her away, but Ahsoka shook her head. "Rex...all of you...come with us!"

"There's no time," he said, meeting her eyes and noting that she was crying again but there was nothing for it; the alarm had drowned out the sounds of the approaching soldiers, but Rex knew that they were close by, and that Bonteri's ship would need cover from the inevitable blaster-fire so that it could take off unhindered.

Rex knew that his last mission wouldn't be successful until Ahsoka was away and safe. When he spoke again, he pitched his voice low and gentle. "Take care of yourself, little 'un."

"If you need _anything_, ever," she replied thickly. "I'm here for you, okay?"

He nodded. "Go."

She went.

As the freighter – a dingy, out-of-date piece of junk if there ever was one – lifted off and made for the sky, the bay around Rex and his brothers exploded with clones in unblemished armor that Rex had come to associate with the Spaarti clones in general, as he had no way of knowing to which unit these soldiers belonged. At once, the men from Torrent stood back-to-back, blasters raised against the newcomers.

"_Traitors_," the closest Spaarti hissed; there was a mark on his armor that indicated he was a Lieutenant and the highest ranking member of the group. "The guys at the barracks were right...get your hands up, you lot," he added with a growl. "We'll show you what happens to clones who abandon their posts."

Beside him, Rex could feel Tup quivering with nerves, so he silently urged the younger man to be calm. In the back of Rex's mind he noted with relief that Bonteri had pushed his ship to hyperspace, the bright spot winking out of the sky like a star gone dark.

The Spaarti Lieutenant leveled his T-visor on Rex, and his voice held nothing familiar. "You're under arrest."

Before Rex could respond, Tup gave a wordless shout that was pure frustration, lifted his blaster and fired on the ceiling high above their heads. Immediately, one of the Spaartis opened fire on the young man, and Tup let out a yelp of pain even as he stumbled into Jesse's back. But before any of the clones could react further, a horrific groaning sound came from above, and they all looked up to see portions of the supporting beams wrench loose from the ceiling and plummet towards the duracrete floor.

Chaos broke out as everyone moved to dodge the falling beams, though the Spaartis also started to hurl blaster-fire at the "traitors." Rex and his brothers were able to find cover beside an unattended ship, but not before Kix took a shot in the shoulder as he was trying to see to Tup. The hangar was suddenly a blur of blue, streaking plasma, and even as Rex felled several of the Spaartis, he grimaced beneath his bucket at the fact that it had come to _this. _Clone against clone.

"Any stunning, last-minute plans, Rex?" Fives shouted, ducking his head before arching around the landing struts of the ship to lob fire at the Spaartis. "Once we get away, I can get us to Marliss' location."

Rex took stock of their situation: any path out of the hangar was blocked by the Spaarti clones; the ship they were using for cover appeared to be in a state of utter disrepair – the engine was in pieces on the ground behind them – should they have even found an opportunity to board, the vessel was probably unusable. He figured that the Spaartis had already called for reinforcements – not that anyone would need to be told something was wrong, what with the sounds of the alarm and the firefight echoing all around them. The sky that he could see through the hangar opening was still smokey and glowing.

Alderaan waited for him but he had a sinking feeling that it would be a long wait. "I don't-"

"Leave it, Kix, I'm _fine_!" Tup was shouting as he struggled to his feet, using the ship to brace himself as bolts of plasma ricocheted around them. "Take care of yourself, for once!"

With that, the younger clone pulled a thermal det from his belt and hurled it at the Spaartis; Rex and his brothers, their reactions honed from countless battles, ducked instinctively even as the closest of the Spaartis were consumed by the explosion. The resulting _boom_ shook the entire place, causing another two beams to thunder down from the ceiling, knocking a few more of the Spaartis to the floor and disorienting the rest, the ones who'd not been taken out by the det.

Within the chaos, a window opened, a break in the Spaartis that led towards a shadowed exit to the hangar. Rex knew that the Spaarti clones' strength was in their numbers, and already he could hear the reinforcements coming, but if he and his brothers went _now_, they had a chance.

"Move out," he shouted. "Now!"

As one, he and his brothers rushed the Spaartis – Rex found himself supporting Kix, whose movements were halting – and as they ran, he thought for one wild moment that _yes_, they were going to manage this. They were going to make it.

Someone fired a quick burst of plasma, and Tup yelped again, then stumbled once before whirling to levy more fire upon the Spaartis. Rex saw at once that his brother would not survive if left on his own. He shoved Kix ahead of himself to the exit, mentally apologizing to the medic for the rough treatment, then rushed back to Tup's side, just in time to see his younger brother's body become riddled with blaster-bolts and watch him collapse to the floor, unmoving.

There was a shout, maybe from his own throat. The darkness of the hangar was all around, the smoke from the city coiled between his legs and obscured everything into a waking nightmare. Tup was not moving. Fives was shouting at him, _come on, Rex! _

But Rex was firing at the Spaartis who were surrounding around him, cutting him off from the exit; it wasn't real, it was a dream, and any moment he would wake up to Brenna's smile. In the back of his mind he was aware that Jesse had come to stand beside him, saw Fives and Kix slip into the shadows of the hangar, the ARC supporting the medic.

It wasn't until he felt the bite of a blaster at his chest that he was able to shake himself out of the nightmare, because he had no wish to die this way...but no, he was only stunned. For what reason, he didn't know, but in the last moments of his consciousness Rex removed his comlink, the one that Brenna had given him so long ago, and called Fives' name as he tossed it to the shadows.

The last thing he remembered, the last thing that he heard before the dark heaviness of the stunning bolt took him over, was the sound of booted feet closing in around himself and Jesse.

* * *

_Rex, what's going on? Are you safe? _

_Are you there? _

_Rex...please be okay. I love you._

* * *

A/N: Hangar **75**, Bay **67**. Slight easter-egg hidden there...(is that the right term?)

Yes, another cliffhanger. Hang in there...the story's nearly over! There are 44 chapters total, so we're closing in on the end.

Thanks for reading!_  
_

Next time: Brenna's getting worried...

Also, if you take a look at my author page, you'll see that I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month this year, (NaNoWriMo, or just NaNo), which means that I'll be (hopefully) writing up a storm this month and I'll probably be even worse about replying to reviews, or reviewing in general. For that I apologize, but at least some nifty new stories will come out of all of this craziness. :) If you're doing NaNo as well, I wish you the best of luck. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, PM me and I'd be happy to explain, or ask the omniscient Google. ;) It's a ton of fun!


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

_Just like every other time he set foot on this world, Umbara was in chaos. _

_When Rex opened his eyes, all he could see was darkness and for one frantic moment he thought he'd gone blind; then a few wild blaster-bolts streaked across his field of vision, which assured him that he _could_ see while also alerting him to the battle that was taking place nearby. A beat later and he could hear them, his brothers. _

_They were still fighting. _

_There was a hillock to his right, covered with bioluminescent plants – the kind with glowing, red tips whose name he'd deliberately forgotten – and he scaled it in an instant to get a better look at what was happening. _

_It was the worst battle he'd seen, yet. Brothers were fighting brothers, and he could see countless men in white, unblemished armor knocked to the ground, hidden by the Umbaran mist. The clones sent shots of plasma to one another as fast as they could, heedless – did they really not see? Did they not care? – of the tanks that were slithering between them, blaster-fire bouncing off of armored casing. Something small hurled above his head; his body ducked and rolled down from the hillock to avoid the thermal det before his brain registered what was happening. _

_The det landed and belched crimson and saffron flame. Troopers fell, screaming. Rex felt the heat from the blast on his face and realized that his helmet was gone; his hands were weighted and useless, but his legs could work, so he ran. As he'd done before, he tried to shout at them, tried to get them to _stop shooting_, but no one listened. No one paid him any mind. No one cared. Something struck his shoulder, but it was mild, barely a cuff. _

_That was when he heard a child crying. _

No, _he thought as dread clutched at his heart. _It's impossible...

_Rex ducked for shelter behind another plant so that he could scan the area; when all he could make out was kriffing darkness, he allowed himself to miss the night-vision of his HUD. For a few frantic minutes he couldn't see anything but clones and Umbarans – and blaster-bolts – when suddenly he spotted her, and his stomach dropped to his knees. _

_Brenna was crouched before a fallen tank, her posture indicating that she was shielding someone much smaller behind her back. Although he couldn't make out her expression from this distance, he recalled how terrified she'd been during the skirmish on Ithor, and he knew that this would be exponentially worse. Rex knew that he had to protect her, had to protect her daughter. Somehow. _

_Maybe he was lucky, even in his nightmares, because he made it to her side after only a few minutes of dodging blaster-fire and trying to get his hands to work properly; they felt stuck together, almost as if he was bound..._

"_Brenna," he called when he was only meters away. "Bren...get down!"_

"_Rex!" Her eyes were wide with fear; she was clutching a fallen trooper's deece with trembling hands – he should have prepared her, better – and behind her, he caught a glimpse of fair hair and heard Iri's continuing cries. "Rex," she said again as he approached. "Rex...please help us."_

"_Get behind me," he ordered, using both hands to remove the blaster from her grip, as his pistols were gone along with his bucket. Thankfully, this weapon was fully charged. Brenna ducked and crouched behind his legs; he could hear her speaking to Iri, trying to soothe the child who was still screaming with terror. "Stay down," he said, trying to keep his voice calm as if it would help. "I'll keep you both safe. I promise."_

_All around them was chaos and darkness. Brothers died; brothers killed. The grinding, groaning tanks ripped through the lines of clones, angling to cause as much destruction as possible, and Rex knew that he was all that stood between Brenna, Irini and certain death. Still heedless of the Umbarans' attack, fellow clones lurched for him, and he was forced to fire back, warning shots at first, then at legs and arms when they refused to keep away from the woman he loved and her innocent child. _

_He didn't want to hurt them, but he had no choice when they attacked what he held dear. _

_At one point he thought about reaching for his comlink, wondering if someone could help, but he couldn't risk lowering his weapon at the moment, as his hands were still strangely tied to each other's movements. That wouldn't do...maybe Brenna had a comlink on her person? _

_During a break in the fire, Rex turned to ask her; as their eyes met, he felt a searing pain in his back and the next thing he knew, he was falling. _

_Rex's head slammed on the ground with enough force to send him back into the darkness._

* * *

Brenna was starting to go a little bit mad with worry. There had been no new news of any kind for hours, and everything she could churn up on the HoloNet and on the GAR channels was useless drivel – nonsense about bolo-ball matches and troop movements – _nothing _about what was happening on Coruscant right now. Nothing about the clones, nothing about the Jedi.

Rex hadn't replied to any of her messages; she had no way of knowing if he'd even gotten them, or if he had but was unable to reply for some reason, and she'd been checking her comlink almost every ten seconds. She didn't know if he was alive, if he was injured, if he was lost. He could be dead and she would have no idea.

Iri had been put to bed hours ago in the room that her daughter shared with Tavi, Caith's son; the only good thing about the events that were unfolding was that they'd begun after the children's bedtime, so Iri likely had no idea that her mother was beside herself.

There was a gnawing roil within her gut, a restlessness that would not fade, and Brenna was torn between pacing through Caith and Edme's kitchen and curling up in a corner to cry. She compromised by sitting at the kitchen table, her knees bouncing as she drummed her fingers on the table-top and alternated her glares between her datapad and her comlink.

"Bren." Caith's voice was gentle; looking up, she saw him extend a cup of steaming tea that they both knew she'd have no taste for. Still, it was a thoughtful gesture, and she thanked him as she took the mug from his hand.

He moved to Edme next, handing her a mug as well; she was seated across from Brenna, fiddling with the hyper-radio that resided in the kitchen. There was no news of any kind, at least to Brenna's way of thinking, but she appreciated the fact that her sister-in-law was routinely checking every channel. "Still nothing, I'm afraid," Edme said, confirming what Brenna already knew. "I'm sorry, Bren."

Brenna shook her head but didn't quite trust her voice. A glance out of the kitchen windows showed nothing but darkness, and she tried not to think that he might be dead. Should she have left the _Resolute _so quickly? Maybe she should have tried to convince Tucker to see reason over the comm, or even asked him to come back to the ship so they could speak in person, there. While she treasured every moment with her daughter, a part of Brenna was convinced that things were not supposed to be this way.

Something small and scared and bitter whispered in her mind: _if you had stayed, you could have convinced him to leave with you, later. _

Perhaps that was true, perhaps not. In her heart of hearts, she knew that Rex's devotion to his brothers was stalwart, and she did not want to make him choose between herself and them. She did not want to cause him pain, but ease what pain he carried with him, already. He'd done as much for her; he'd not tried to convince her to stay when she felt her daughter's safety was at risk.

_Rex_, she thought, squeezing her eyes shut and wishing that she was a Jedi; perhaps if she was, she could speak to him across the stars and have him _hear _her words_. Rex...I love you. Please be safe. Please._

"Brenna...your comlink!"

Her eyes snapped open at the buzzing sound that vibrated against the kitchen table; moving so fast that her hands were fumbling, Brenna grabbed the device and activated it, noting that the transmission was voice-only. "Rex!"

It was a clone's voice, but she would have known at once that it was not the man she loved, even had the caller not given his name. _"It's Fives."_

Something inside her chest – possibly her heart – began to fracture. _No. No, no, no._

She cleared her throat. "Fives-"

"_I'm with Kix and Marliss,"_ he said._ "We're leaving Corrie, making for Anaxes. Last I saw, Rex was alive on Coruscant-"_ Her heart leaped at his words, but he continued, speaking low and quickly. _"But Brenna...he was being arrested."_

Her hand flew to her mouth to hold back her sob. Fives waited a beat, then continued. _"We received an order to...well, it's not important right now, but it was unthinkable, so we – myself, Rex, Kix, Tup and Jesse – deserted. Blasted Spaartis caught us trying to get off-planet. They got Rex and Jess; Kix and I managed to get away; I would have stayed, but Kix was hurt pretty bad and needed attention. That was about half an hour ago. Right before they took him away, Rex dropped his comlink, I guess so I could call you."_

He was alive, or had been as recently as thirty minutes ago. She could breathe. She could speak. "Thank you."

Fives snorted. _"Don't thank me, Bren. I should have stayed..."_ His voice faded for a moment, then returned, albeit with a waver. _"Thanks to your lovely and talented former-roommate, we have a nice little ship and we're not being tracked."_

"I have to help him," she said without thinking over the words, nor the way that Caith and Edme looked up in alarm as she spoke. "I have to get him out of there, somehow..."

However, they needn't have worried. Fives' reply was immediate and firm._ "I'm trying to figure that out, Brenna, but I'm pretty sure he'd have my head on a platter if I put you in danger."_

Brenna opened her mouth to object, then a thought struck her. It was a long-shot that had a definite potential to end badly, but she didn't think she had a wealth of options. "Fives," she said, speaking with deliberation. "I might have an idea, but I'll have to make another call. Can I reach you again in a few minutes?"

"_Yeah, we'll sit tight,"_ he replied in a perplexed voice. _"What's your idea?"_

It was stupid to shake her head over an audio transmission, but her mind was already far away, working over the nebulous beginnings of a plan. "I don't know for certain," she said at last, ignoring Caith's narrowing eyes. _I have to do this. I have to help him, if I can. _"But...I will."

"_Copy that,"_ Fives said, his tone indicating that he was nodding. _"We're standing by, awaiting your orders, Miss Damaris."_

By some miracle – perhaps due to her relief of his news – she was able to give a faint smile at his teasing words, but before she ended the call, something he'd said caught in her mind. "What about Tup? Is he with you or with Rex and Jesse?" The answering silence was filled with meaning and she sighed, all amusement fleeing with the sobering realization. "Okay. Stand by."

When the transmission ended, she glanced up to see her brother and his wife watching her carefully. "You're safe; I modified the comlinks, so nothing can be traced to this location," she said after taking a breath. "No one will know that anything originated from your house-"

"Bren," Caith interrupted, his voice firm. "You can't go on a rescue mission...it's too dangerous."

"From what I can tell, the whole Republic's being...restructured or something," Edme added with a frown. "There's talk that the Wars are over and the Separatists are defeated, somehow. I don't really understand, but it's obvious that everything's in turmoil."

Brenna shook her head. "I have to help Rex if I can."

"How?" Caith replied. "Are you going to storm Coruscant, break into jail and rescue him? You're not a soldier, Brenna; I love you, but this is too much for you to handle – even with that other clone you were speaking to."

She took a breath, working to keep her voice calm. "I know. But – like I said – I have an idea." With that, she lifted her comlink again and – after the slightest hesitation – entered the code that she knew would reach Tucker. It took a few long moments for the link to take hold.

"_Bren?" _He sounded tired, but there was no malice in his voice, only curiosity and a hint of sorrow.

Another deep breath to focus, to gain her composure. She thought of Rex and cleared her throat. "Tucker...I need your help."

After she explained the situation, there was silence.

* * *

_Ah, the dreams are back. Not good._

_Thank you for reading! :)  
_

_Next time: planning the rescue.  
_

_Good news, everyone! [said in Professor Farnsworth's voice, from _Futurama_] The sequel to TFK, _Worth Fighting For_, is _**FINISHED**_! Whoo! :D [Lauren slumps over in relief and exhaustion] Now comes the editing, of which there will be copious amounts. ;)  
_


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter Forty**

_The next time Rex's eyes opened, he was lying in grass. It feathered at the edges of his vision, tickled his cheek and his arms – for some reason he was dressed only in his body-glove – and filled his nose with its fresh, heady scent. Winking between branches and leaves, the sky above was bright blue, cloudless, and as he blinked a few times to clear his head – it felt thick and hazy as mist – he noted that he was in fact lying at the base of a massive, blurry tree._

_Actually...everything was blurry. _

_Had something happened to his vision? He recalled a pain against the back of his head...perhaps he'd been injured..._

_Squinting, Rex tried to study the tree above him, tried to quantify it with other trees he'd seen in the past, but it was unique. It was messy, as if its natural lines and edges had been daubed with paint and swirled with color. _

_Paint...?_

_Rex shook his head, frowning. Blurriness be damned, he needed to get to his feet – at least be upright. He had to understand where he was; the last thing he remembered, before the pain, was that he'd been protecting Brenna and Iri from a battle, but he didn't see them now and panic seized him at the realization. As he tried to sit up, he was overwhelmed by something heavy and oppressive on his chest that hindered his movements, so much so that after a struggle he realized with dismay that he could only remain lying down. _

_So instead of getting up, he looked around in wonder. Everything he could see was blurry, splotched with flecks of colors that were too vibrant to be _real_, and he was dumbfounded._

"_Rex."_

_Something inside of him relaxed when he felt her hand on his arm, even though it was too-soft, nearly insubstantial. Looking over, he exhaled in relief when he saw Brenna – clear and decidedly not blurry – kneeling beside him, an anxious look on her face. When their eyes met she smiled and most of his anxiety dissipated. _

"_You're awake at last," she added, tilting her head to the side so that he could see a little blonde girl playing in the grass several meters away. "We were worried."_

_Even the light touch of her hand was warm, but he shook his head at her words, because he was okay, now. He wanted to put his hands over hers, but again they refused to move. He wanted to breathe in her scent, but all he could smell was grass, though beneath it something darker and acrid lingered. "Are you okay?"_

"_We're safe," she replied with a smile, her fingers moving to touch his cheek before skimming through his cropped hair; where he normally would have shivered under her touch, there was only a faint sensation, which sent an alarm off in his mind. "Thanks to you and your brothers."_

_Her words confused him, for there were no other clones around that he could see, so he tried to sit up again, to no avail. There was still a weight on his chest, on his legs, a weight that held him in place. Somehow, he knew he was dreaming. "Bren..."_

_Brenna's hand brushed his cheek again and the feather-lightness of her touch reiterated his realization. This moment wasn't real, this was a dream._

_But this was likely the closest he would ever get to her again, so he leaned into her palm and savored even the barest whisper of her skin against his. "Relax," she murmured. "It's going to be okay."_

_Force, he wanted to believe her, but the fact that he couldn't get up was as alarming as the knowledge that none of this was real. Rex took a breath and met her gaze. "I'm sorry that I ruined things for us," he managed to say, watching how her brows knitted in confusion. "We had a chance at happiness, and I ruined it, but I didn't know what else I could have done."_

"_Rex-"  
_

"_But I failed you," he added, wanting to close his eyes but forcing himself to look at her as he spoke. "And I'm sorry. I wish that things could have been different, somehow. I wish I could have met Iri, too."_

_Brenna had been frowning at his words, but at this she actually smiled and shook her head. "It's okay, Rex," she said, dropping her hand to his jaw, where sometimes he could feel a phantom cut if he really concentrated. "I don't know about the Force, but I think that things work out as they do for a reason. You did the best that you could, as you always do. You're a good and honorable man, Rex, and I love you."_

_He wanted to reach for her, put his arms around her and kiss her senseless, but his body refused to move, so he tried to be content with the memory of her touch, and the look in her eyes that was filled with love. _

_Perhaps she read his mind, or perhaps it was just what she wanted to do; it didn't matter either way as she bent her head to kiss him, her hair falling around his face like a curtain._

* * *

"_Brenna-"_

"Tucker, you told me that if I needed you, you would be there."

She was pacing on the outskirts of Caith and Edme's house, her legs churning through the tall grass that edged this section of the property. Having grown weary of sitting in the kitchen, she'd slipped out the front door to take a few gulping breaths of swift, Alderaani air and clear her head for what was to come. There was another pause where Tucker was uncharacteristically silent, so she added: "You said-"

"_I know what I said,"_ he said in a sharp voice. _"But I didn't think you would ask me to rescue your new boyfriend."_

She wanted to reach through the comlink and throttle him, for each second that ticked by was one where Rex was in danger, and she had no time or patience for his reticence. "Please, Tucker," she said in as calm a voice as she could manage, though she failed because her words were choked. "Please do this for me."

Another maddening pause, then she heard him sigh. _"Okay." _

Before she could speak, he continued, his tone taking on the speculative sort of distance it did when he was mulling over a new strategy. _"So...you said there's an ARC trooper out there who can help? With a ship?" _She answered in the affirmative, and thought she could almost hear him nodding. _"Great. Those ARCs aren't quite as useless as the regular grunts...can I have his contact info?"_

"I can do better than that," she said, looking up into the night sky, imagining she could see through the stars all the way to Coruscant. "Just give me a minute."

It wasn't the simplest thing to set up a three-way comm from three different locations _and _secure it from any prying ears, but she was determined; within a few minutes she had Tucker standing by while she brought Fives in again. "Okay, Fives," she said as she waited for the connection to take so that the three parties could converse. "I have Tucker standing by."

The ARC sounded amused. _"Yeah...I had a pretty good feeling who we were going to be dealing with. It's okay, Brenna,_" he added. _"I'll talk real slow so he can keep up."_

"_I heard that, ARC." _

Apparently the link had gone through already.

Fives gave a snort of irritation, but pushed on._ "You're really willing to help us out, RC?"_

"_I've got some friends who're pros at this sort of thing,_" Tucker replied darkly. _"Just tell us when and where to show up."_

"Fives, do you know _where_ on Coruscant Rex and Jesse are being held?" Brenna asked. As she resumed her pacing, she allowed herself a moment to marvel at the oddity of her situation: planning the jailbreak of her current lover with her ex-lover and her present lover's best friend, while none of them were on the same planet.

There was a pause, as if Fives was checking something, then he replied. _"He was still wearing his armor, so I was able to trace him for a little while with the tracking chip implanted in our kits; it looks like they brought him and Jess to the RJC Detention Center – that's, Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center, commando."_

"_Don't worry about me and acronyms, Fives – was it?" _Tucker shot back. _"Just give me intel. And make it snappy."_

"_Bren,"_ Fives said, the stern tone of his voice causing her to inhale. _"If this is going to work, we'll need some inside information. Can you manage some of that fancy slicing for us from your location?"_

At the mention of the infamous Republic prison, Brenna's stomach had dropped to her knees. The RJC was known for being impossibly hard to escape from, and for a moment she was overwhelmed with the looming task that was ahead. But she shook the feeling away because it didn't matter, because it couldn't matter. Too much was at stake. She had to free Rex, so she would.

Somehow.

"Yes," she stammered, her mind racing over the obstacles ahead. "But it may take a little time."

"_How long?"_ Tucker asked. _"Jaing could probably manage it, too."_

Despite the fact that they couldn't see her, she shook her head as she considered. "A few hours, maybe. But depending on how encrypted their system is, I may not be able to do much more than slice in, maybe jam a few comm channels or at least distort them for a little while."

Fives sounded thoughtful. _"That would be an excellent distraction...do you really think you can manage it?" _

"_She can do it," _Tucker said suddenly, his voice quiet._ "I know she can. She can do anything."_

There was silence for a moment, then Fives cleared his throat. "_Even a few minutes would give us a window of opportunity. Once we know where he and Jess are being held, it's just a matter of getting in, getting them, and getting out. So simple, even a commando could manage."_

Another pause, though Brenna heard muffled voices as though Tucker was speaking to someone nearby. After a few minutes his voice returned. _"Getting in won't be an issue, especially if Bren can distract them somehow. My friends and I will cover our entrance and exit points, but you're on your own when it comes to getting to your brothers, Fives."_

"Only Fives?" Brenna couldn't keep the alarm from her voice. "Just one man to break them out?"

"_Not one _man_, Bren," _Fives replied._ "One _ARC_ trooper. No, Kix...you're too injured. Forget it."_

Tucker sighed, the sound distorted over the link. _"Do you want me to help him out, Brenna?" _

She didn't care about Fives' ego, nor did she care about Tucker's obvious reluctance; all she wanted was to see Rex and Jesse to safety, and Brenna knew at once that she would do whatever was necessary to bring about that outcome. "Yes, Tucker. Fives-"

"_Yeah, yeah," _the ARC grumbled good-naturedly. "Vode an_, right?"_

Something like relief fluttered in her chest, and Brenna exhaled. "Give me two hours to figure something out with their comm systems. I'll set up another call with you guys when I'm ready."

"_That works for me," _Tucker replied. _"It'll give me time to get my group together and hash out some of the finer points. Jaing thinks he can pinpoint where they're holding the clones."_

"_Great," _Fives added. _"See you soon, buddy._"

The link with Fives faded so that it was only Brenna and Tucker, and for one moment there was quiet. Finally she took a breath. "Thank you."

"_Don't," _he replied in a soft voice. _"I suppose it's the very least I can do, isn't it?" _There was another pause, then she heard him sigh. _"You love him, don't you?"_

There was no hesitation because there was no need to think over her reply. "I do."

"_Yeah, I figured," _he said, his tone indicating that he was shaking his head. _"Look, Bren...I know that this won't make up for what I did – or what I didn't do, I guess – but you have my word that Rex will get back to you safely, okay?"_

Her throat was tight and she felt the beginnings of tears pricking at her eyes. "Okay, Tucker."

"_Do me one favor, though?" _He waited a beat, then sighed again. _"Give our girl a kiss goodnight for me."_

"She's already sleeping. It's practically the middle of the night, here." Even as she said the words, she felt foolish, but he seemed not to notice or care.

"_Oh. Well, it's only late afternoon on Mandalore," _he replied, a shrug in his words. When he spoke again, however, his voice was hopeful. _"Tomorrow, then?"_

Again, she nodded, imagining that they could see one another. "Tomorrow."

* * *

Rex hurt.

It was difficult to pinpoint exactly where, as his entire body ached and his brain felt like it was trying to bash its way out of his head, more so even than during his hangover all those months ago; behind closed lids his eyes felt gritty, and he recognized the dryness of his throat as a side-effect of sedatives. There was something hard beneath his cheek, and a moment's reflection indicated that it was duracrete. He could smell something...bad. Body odor and dirt, and something sickly that undercut everything else. He could smell blood.

This made him struggle to open his eyes; when he did, he nearly regretted it. Darkness surrounded him and it was the dimness of _inside_, of somewhere that had never seen the sun. For one wild moment he thought he was back aboard the _Resolute, _somehow.

"Rex."

His own voice, but not. A brother...the name trickled back through through Rex's mental fog. His voice was hoarse, but it worked enough. "Jesse...are you okay?"

The longer his eyes remained open, the more they grew accustomed to the dark; within a few moments he could see his brother kneeling over a semi-prone figure resting against the wall of what appeared to be a prison-cell. Fan-kriffing-tastic.

There was a beat, then Jesse replied. "Sure. Why not?"

Rex focused on the figure stretched out before his brother, then inhaled sharply. "Coric. Is he...?"

"Very much alive," Jesse said, glancing down at the sergeant, whose back was pressed to the wall in a half-seated position. "But he's in a bad way, I'm afraid. What do you do when the medic's the man who's injured?"

At that, Coric gave a soft groan. "I'm fine, trooper. Don't worry about me."

"Sorry, sir," Jesse replied in a remarkably mild voice as Rex sat up, the movement sending a disorienting rush of blood to his head. "Aside from that cut on his head, I don't like the look of that ankle, and while I may not know the first thing about healing, I do know that you should keep off of a sprained limb."

He paused, then shot Rex a sardonic look as the captain staggered to his feet. "Crazy _di'kut_ wrapped his own leg with a bit of body-glove."

Coric muttered something about field medicine, but Rex hardly paid the words any mind; instead, he approached his brothers and looked them both over carefully. Aside from a nasty gash on Coric's forehead and the fact that his left ankle was set and wrapped in what appeared to be a portion of body-glove, they were each suffering from a significant number of scrapes and bruises, though thankfully nothing worse. Each man, himself included, was dressed only in his black body-glove, their armor and weapons apparently having been confiscated by the others.

The others. Rex gave an involuntary shiver and glanced towards the door of their cell as his memory returned. "We were captured by a group of Spaartis." A memory of a shout blossomed in his mind and his eyes closed. "Tup."

Jesse's voice was soft and heavy. "Yeah."

Neither of them spoke for a moment before Rex cleared his throat. "Fives and Kix...?"

"I think they got away," Jesse replied, and Rex felt a flare of hope at the thought that some of his brothers had escaped; maybe, just maybe, Fives had gotten a hold of his comlink, so at least Brenna wouldn't wonder about his fate. He wondered if Fives would attempt a rescue, but shook the thought away almost immediately: the risk was far too great, and even if the ARC trooper were to try, Rex doubted that he could manage such a feat on his own or very quickly. Given time and resources, perhaps, but Rex was well-aware that his brother had neither of those things any longer.

Jesse took another breath; his voice was quiet in the darkness. "I think we're the only men out of the whole company, even the whole legion – on-planet – who disobeyed the order...and are still alive. I've heard the guards talking over the last few hours; there may be a few in other legions who didn't, but they're not _here."_

Rex wasn't sure which part of Jesse's words he found more horrific. "'Still _alive_?'"

It was Coric's turn to speak; as he did, he ignored Jesse's shushing. "It's true, Captain. It must be...Chopper and I were in the medbay when the order came out. Appo...he was collecting men to march on the Temple. When we wouldn't go..." He paused to cough, and something within Rex's chest tightened with apprehension. "Chopper took the shot that was meant for me," he finished with an exhale. "I didn't see what became of him, as they threw me in here – after a little bit of roughhousing – to 'make an example' of me."

Both Rex and Jesse were silent. Rex's mind wanted desperately to turn to his fallen brothers; however, he refused to let himself wallow until he knew more about his, Jess and Coric's current predicament, because the medic's words sent another bout of alarm flooding through him. "'An example?'"

"Appo said something about showing the others what happens when a soldier doesn't follow orders," Coric replied in an odd and bitter voice that Rex hadn't heard. "When he disobeys a Commander's orders."

"Commander?" Jesse asked, astonished. "They made that crazy barve a _commander_?"

Rex wasn't nearly as surprised. After Appo had been given more and more responsibility for the Spaarti clones that had entered the GAR, such a promotion had been a matter of time; recalling Appo's last visit with him in the medbay of the _Resolute, _Rex remembered that the other man had been eager for ascension through the ranks. Briefly, he wondered if Skywalker had given the promotion himself, then remembered that the young Jedi was probably dead, along with all the others.

_Not all. _He took a breath, then expelled it to the darkness surrounding him. _Not Ahsoka. _

She was safe because he'd done his job as a soldier, and as a friend.

He only wished that the cost had been less.

"Any idea what's going to happen to us, now?" Jesse's voice was grim, like he already knew the answer to the question.

Coric spoke next, his words filling the musty air of the cell. "Heard one of the Spaarti guards talking about it as they brought me. It seems we're to be executed."

"When?" Rex thought that his own voice didn't sound like his. _Bren...I'm sorry. _

There was no reply, until: "I don't know exactly. But I wouldn't think they'd keep us waiting very long."

* * *

_Rex's dream in this sequence is supposed to be sort of a stunned haze, and his thoughts have turned to Alderaan. Since he's never been there, his dream-perception is heavily influenced by the pictures that Iri painted; he's hooked on her, already. ;)_

_Random side-note: if you're wondering why I use "Alderaani" rather than "Alderaanian," it's because I like how the former looks and sounds, even though I think the latter is canonical. Creative license, woo! :P_

_Next time: Tucker, Bren and Fives to the rescue!_

_Thank you for reading. :D_


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-One**

_The next day..._

"What in the nine Corellian hells are they waiting for? An invitation?" Jesse grumbled as he daubed at the gash on Coric's forehead with a piece of body-glove.

Over the last day they'd used some of the water that the Spaarti guards had brought to keep the wound as clean as possible, but Rex could smell the beginnings of an infection anyway. If they had a medkit, Coric would be on the mend. Even a splash of bacta would have done some good, but there was nothing. _Nothing_.

They were still waiting to hear more about their upcoming execution; as of yet, there'd been no new information, none at all, and it was starting to get more than a little infuriating. Rex had always been a fan of details, and he thought that the time and date of his own death was knowledge in which he had a vested interest.

Jesse sighed and Rex heard his brother rise and approach him; they both stood at the humming energy shield of their cell for a moment before Jesse spoke again. "It's been a whole day...surely they'd have done it by now. Don't you think?"

"Perhaps there's too much going on elsewhere," Rex replied with a frown, peering through the wavering shield. Unfortunately, it had proved to be impenetrable, and after a number of attempts to free themselves, even Rex had to admit when he was beaten. "If the rumors about the _Emperor_ are true..."

"Yeah," Jesse said. "I still don't know what to think about all that. The Jedi, the Republic...gone. It's unreal."

It was, but it wasn't. Rex shook his head. "I don't know, Jess. That's the problem. Other than catching snippets of news from the guards...we _don't_ know what's going on."

A pause, then Jesse cleared his throat and pitched his voice low. "Do you think Fives might try to break us out?"

"Maybe," Rex replied with a frown. "But he's one man, and..." He trailed off at the sound of the door to the cell-block opening with a hiss, and then the rhythm of booted feet approaching: there was someone coming.

It was one of the Spaartis, and Rex resolved to get some information if it _fragging_ killed him. Standing around waiting was worse than being shot at. Much worse. "Get back to Coric," he added, glancing at his brother. "Try to get him to drink some more water."

With a nod, Jesse turned and slipped back into the shadows to Coric's side, leaving Rex alone in the faint glow of the energy shield. There was only one Spaarti making his way through the space with a casual gait, and Rex felt himself scowl involuntarily. One guard? Either no one cared about the three clones in this section or these boys were sloppy, and he felt indignation curl within his gut.

But he needed information, so he pushed back his derisive feelings, swallowed his pride and cleared his throat as the other man approached. "Trooper," he said, pitching his voice just enough to rise above the humming shield. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

The Spaarti paused, his head tilting in Rex's direction like someone had called his name, but he didn't recognize the source. "Shut up, traitor."

Rex very nearly snapped a retort at the other clone, as he hadn't been spoken to with such disrespect in a long while, but kept the instinct in check. Now was _not_ the time. Instead, he raised his hands in a non-threatening manner and continued. "I'd just like a bit of information-"

"I said, '_shut_ _up_.'" The Spaarti approached the cell, the squat T-visor of his helmet catching the reflection of the shield and Rex, distorting the images and tossing them back to the captain's eyes.

"My brothers and I are to be executed," Rex continued as if the Spaarti had not spoken; he'd approached the cell, which was a sign that he perhaps had _some _interest in talking, after all. "All I want to know is _when_." _If it's not too much to kriffing ask._

The Spaarti tilted his head again, and Rex wondered if he was speaking into his comm or if he was just confused. It was difficult to read the other clone's movements, despite the fact that he knew they shared the same face. Finally the Spaarti shrugged, indifferent after all. "Suppose it doesn't matter. This evening, at nineteen-hundred. Firing squad."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked off, pausing to stand at attention by the entrance to the cell-block.

"What a jerk." Jesse's voice reached through the cell and made Rex turn. His tattooed brother had taken a semi-defensive stance before Coric, but had straightened as the Spaarti had walked away. "He obviously didn't know who he was speaking to."

"Maybe he did," Rex replied with a shrug, coming to kneel beside Coric; a hand against the other clone's cheek indicated that his fever was getting worse. "I didn't exactly make an effort to hide my identity when we tried to escape. Anyway, I doubt that the esteemed title of 'Captain' applies to traitors and deserters, Jess."

Jesse sighed and took a seat beside the sergeant, who was awake and listening to the exchange. "I guess. But he's still a jerk. Even if you're not a 'Captain,' you'll always have my respect, Rex."

"Mine as well," Coric added in a dim voice, his head turning to gulp down the water that Jesse was offering.

Rex ducked his head, but couldn't find the voice to acknowledge the words. Instead he glanced between his brothers and tried not to let regret overwhelm him; they should have had _more. _More time, better time...not this ending. These men were not traitors any more than he himself was, but in the eyes of the law they deserved nothing for a lifetime of loyal service besides a firing squad.

A part of him, a small, angry part that he tried to ignore, bitterly told him that he should have left with Brenna when he had the chance, because now his life would be different, better. _More. _It would have been difficult with his face being so recognizable, but he thought they could have figured something out. Brenna was nothing if not resourceful and he was no slouch himself, especially if sticking through a bit of hardship meant that he'd would be able to spend what time he was allotted at her side.

Perhaps he could have married her. Perhaps he could have been something of a father to her daughter.

Those thoughts were...difficult. He'd never truly admitted – even to himself – but they were things he desired, more than anything else, and nothing in the galaxy had ever felt quite so impossible to him now. From the moment he'd watched Cut interacting with his own family, Rex had _wanted _something similar for his own life, even though he told himself that it was not his place or purpose to _want;_ his duty was to defend those who already had the things that he was not supposed to miss.

If a Jedi like Ahsoka, or even General Kenobi were around, Rex knew that they would have advised him to be thankful of the happiness he'd gotten to share with Brenna, for it was far more than most clones – hell, most people – got to experience, and he _was_ grateful...but still. It wasn't enough. It was too short.

Actually, his time in general had been too short, but that was another thing he didn't try to think about. Rex resisted the urge to sigh; something about facing the end of one's life made one introspective, he supposed.

No one spoke for a moment, then Jesse cleared his throat. "So...this evening. Nineteen-hundred...what is that, like five hours from now?"

It was almost superfluous to ask, as all the clones had an instinctual sense of the passage of time, as if each second that ticked by was ingrained in their minds. Rex answered in the affirmative before settling beside Coric, stretching his legs out before him and resting his head against the cool, durasteel wall of the cell because he was exhausted and there was nothing left to do but wait.

Rex closed his eyes, just for a moment.

The next thing he heard was a faint rapping noise, the sound of gloved knuckles knocking against a plastoid helmet. His eyes opened and his head turned towards the humming energy shield, beyond which he could make out the lonely guard rapping his knuckles against his bucket in the manner of someone with comm troubles, and something inside Rex stood at attention, even as he kept his body still. Coric was sleeping, but Jesse was awake; they exchanged a glance over the medic's head, then looked back towards the guard, who still appeared to be experiencing technical difficulties.

After a few useless minutes of rapping – far too long, Rex thought, for at the first sign of trouble the guard should have reported it and called for a replacement while he went for some new kit – the Spaarti guard looked up, his posture tense as if he was in a hostile situation. Brows knitting, Rex watched as the guard started to shake his head, then started slapping on the outside of his bucket again, going so far as to grip the helmet with both hands as if he was in pain. Jesse nudged Coric, who woke silently; Rex nodded to the guard, who was bending over as if he were about to remove his bucket, and all three clones tensed.

As Rex took a breath, mentally going over the motions he'd have to make in order to take out the guard – should he even be able to magically get through the shield – the Spaarti threw off his bucket and began to rub at his ears, his face contorted as if he were in great pain, his eyes squeezed shut.

That was when Fives struck.

It was a testament to Fives' ARC training that Rex hadn't seen him enter the cell-block; the only reason he knew of his brother's presence was because the Spaarti guard gave a strangled sort of yelp as he went flying across the room, pummeled by a shadowy figure towards another cell that Rex couldn't see the inside of. Fives was upon him – Rex would know the armor, anywhere – taking only a few moments to lock him in the cell, probably disarming the trooper as well as disabling any communication devices. Once Fives had done so, he turned and made his way to Rex, Jesse and Coric, tucking the Spaarti's deece under his arm and clipping his helmet to his belt with his free hand.

The three of them had risen, Jess and Rex supporting Coric between them even as Jesse gawked at Fives. "Holy kriffing hell," Jesse sputtered as Fives frowned over the lock panel by their cell. "What...how...when...?"

"Later, Jess," Fives replied in a curt voice that was belied by his grin. "We'll go into the specifics of the rescue later on. For now-"

"Will you hurry it up, ARC?" Another clone voice made Rex's head snap up in alarm, because he recognized it all-too well. There was a clone in gray armor by the entrance to the cell-block, the blue slash of his T-visor standing out against the crimson wash of the shields. "We haven't got time for you and your buddies to play catch-up."

It was Tucker.

"Crinking commando," Fives muttered under his breath, his words undercut by the soft beep of the security panel. "_Di'kut _thinks that wearing fancy armor means he's in charge...well, we all bleed red, don't we?"

"I heard that, ARC."

Jesse glanced at Rex, brow raised, but the captain had no idea what the look could have meant; he didn't think that Jess knew the specifics about Tucker and Brenna, and to be honest, he didn't really care about that at the moment. What he did care about was that it looked like he and his brothers might have a chance to get off of Coruscant in one piece, and he was ready and waiting to take this gamble.

Speaking in a low voice, he watched Fives' movements. "I've only seen the one guard in this block on a regular basis, but there are others that hang around upon occasion. Did you-"

"Got it," Fives hissed, shooting Rex another grin as the shield dropped. Once the three clones stepped into the hallway, he replaced his bucket and indicated the entrance where the commando was waiting. "I promise to explain everything later, but for now we _really_ have to haul _shebs._"

With that, Fives handed Jesse the DC-15 he'd collected from the guard, pulled out a spare DC-17 from his holster to give to Rex, nudged the captain out of the way and took his place beneath Coric's shoulder. The four of them began to hurry to the entrance.

At their approach, Tucker thumbed towards the door. "It's clear on the other side; from what I can tell, their comms are still malfunctioning, but not enough to give anyone cause to activate the alarm. I reckon we don't have too much longer until they figure out what we're trying to do, so we'd best not linger."

There was an ominous rumbling noise, which made each clone besides Tucker tense and glance up, as it seemed to be originating from _above. _The commando shook his head. "That's Jaing's doing," he said, turning for the entrance. "Nothing _we_ need to worry about."

He activated the door, and when it opened on an empty corridor that was brightly lit with blue running lights along the floor, Rex tightened his grip on the blaster, thinking it was good to be armed again and wishing he also had his armor. As they began to trot down the passage – as quickly as they could, given Coric's injured state – Rex shot Fives an astonished look. "You have to give me _something_, Fives. This is unbelievable. How did you manage it?"

"We couldn't have gotten this far without Bren," Tucker answered from his place at the front of the group; since Fives was helping to support Coric and neither Rex nor Jesse knew the way out, it only made sense that he should lead. "I'm not sure exactly what she did – something about distorting their internal comm channels – but she was brilliant. As usual."

Despite the situation, there was a wistful tone to the commando's voice that made Rex's hackles rise, though the mention of the woman he loved also filled him with hope; perhaps things would be okay. She'd done this for him, and while he didn't like the idea of her risking herself in any way for his own safety, he felt a swell of gratitude and love for the brown-haired woman.

Fives seemed to sense his feelings, and gave him a look from across Coric even as they hurried. "She's waiting for you, _vod._"

The words – and the thought behind them – were a comfort, even when they all ducked instinctively at the sudden blare of an alarm. The moment the klaxon sounded, emergency lights in the hallway began flashing an angry red, and Tucker lifted his hand in the signal that meant _stop. _

When they all halted, Rex could feel the tremors in the floor from about half a dozen sets of booted feet approaching, so the commando indicated a nearby alcove that was out of the way; once they were out of sight, Rex heard other clones getting closer, and though he knew that he and his brothers – and Tucker – could have taken them out with little trouble, he also understood that it was imperative that they save their energy for when they'd really need it. Once the guards passed, Tucker indicated that they should move out.

Things continued in this fashion for about fifteen minutes. The group of clones hurried through winding passages, their bodies cast in blinking crimson light; every so often they'd be forced to duck down a side corridor in order to hide, but for the most part they made good time. During the journey, Fives had indicated that he and Tucker had arranged for transport away from the RJC, and that all they had to do was make it to a nearby landing platform.

Perhaps it was a task that would have been easier said than done, but the clones were nothing if not determined, and Rex had to take a moment to thank the Force that Jango had apparently been one stubborn son of a nerf-herder, too much so to know when to quit.

"Get down," Tucker hissed suddenly, nearly shoving Rex backward into a nearby corridor just as a group of guards approached; because it would serve no purpose right now, Rex bit back his annoyance at the commando's rough treatment even though the force of the shove was harder than it should have been.

As they slipped into the shadows, Coric met Rex's eyes. "I'm slowing you all down."

"Don't even _think _of suggesting what I think you're going to," Rex replied with a shake of his head. "No man gets left behind."

"But-"

Even in the flare of crimson light, even when he was bruised and battered and exhausted, Rex managed to stare down his brother. "Captain's orders, Sergeant. You're not to speak of it again, is that clear?"

There was no verbal reply, but as Coric nodded, Rex caught a gleam of relief in his eyes.

"Kriff." It was Tucker, crouched at the entrance; Rex stepped towards him and they exchanged glances, because the sound of approaching footsteps was growing louder and more frequent with each passing moment. "I think they're onto us," the commando muttered as Fives gave a soft curse. "It sounds like they're trying to surround our position."

Rex spoke in a low, urgent voice. "We should split up. I can lead them away from the rest of you, so you can get to the ships. Just tell me where they are, and-"

"No man left behind, _Captain_," Coric broke in from behind, and Rex sighed.

"This isn't-"

"Besides that," Fives added, removing his helmet to add a glower in Rex's direction. "It'd take too long to explain where the ships are located."

There was a beat, then Tucker spoke. "Rex and I can go...together. We'll take the longer route out of here and draw the guards' attentions so the rest of you can get to your ship safely. With their internal communication going haywire, they'll have trouble keeping track of all of us."

He didn't sound pleased, but it wasn't a bad plan, and Rex knew that he'd have to set his own feelings for the commando aside in order to finish this. Perhaps, once they were both free, he could punch Tucker properly.

It was something else to look forward to.

So he nodded and gripped the hilt of his blaster. "Works for me," he said, ignoring Fives' astonished look. "Jesse, Fives, Coric: I'll see you in a few minutes."

Jesse's eyes were wide, but he nodded and shifted his hold on Coric, whose own eyes had closed, briefly. Fives' startled expression smoothed away to his normal, battle-ready appearance, and he took a breath and nodded. "Alright. You go first and draw them away down the left passage; we'll take the right, and meet you outside."

As Rex and Tucker turned to leave, Fives reached out and put a hand on his forearm, gripping it in the traditional gesture between the clones that could either be a greeting or a farewell. Neither man said a word, but the look that the ARC gave Rex was filled with respect. A moment later, Fives released his arm, and Rex darted after the commando.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! Don't forget to let me know what you think so far. :)_

_Next time: Rex and Tucker...working together? (Spoiler: someone gets a bloody nose. :P)_


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty-Two**

Tucker was fast.

Although Rex was exhausted and sore from his capture he had no wish to be left behind, so he kept up the frenetic pace as best he could and hoped that their movements would be enough to keep the attention of the guards. Even with the bulky Katarn armor, Tucker moved soundlessly; luckily, Rex's lack of armor – while he felt vulnerable – allowed him greater freedom of movement, and he was not as pressed as the commando to keep his steps silent when they needed to be. After several minutes, the two men fell into a rhythm of sprinting down hallways, stopping to listen, ducking to let guards only catch the barest glimpse of them, then starting all over again.

Once, they were surprised by a pair of guards who must have caught sight of them and fallen back to intercept. It was by virtue of the guards' comms being down that the others didn't convene upon Rex and Tucker immediately, and both clones made certain that the Spaartis' attention would stay completely on them. As Rex disabled one of the guards with a swift jab to the throat, he watched as Tucker took out the second guard with brutal efficiency; one, two, three hits of his fists and the Spaarti crumpled to the floor, unmoving.

Thinking that _some_ kit was better than nothing at all, Rex knelt and unclipped the Spaarti's utility belt to wrap around his own waist; once he did so, he glanced at Tucker, who was crouched with his blaster drawn, clearly alert. As Rex stood, Tucker looked his way, the blue visor glinting oddly in the crimson light. "Ready?"

A swift nod that the commando returned, and they were off again.

Several minutes later, as they were crouched behind a curving section of wall, waiting for another patrol to pass by; by now, Fives, Coric and Jesse should have made it to their ship, so Rex and Tucker had decided to switch tactics and avoid the guards completely, if they could. For now, it seemed that they'd managed to shake the worst of them, but Rex felt himself growing frustrated by the seemingly endless labyrinth that was this place. He knew they were taking "the long way," but each second that ticked by was one more where Brenna was waiting for him, one more where she was probably terrified and sitting on the edge of her seat.

Beneath him, his bent knees were starting to tingle from holding the half-kneeling position for so long, but he shook his own discomfort away and glanced at his traveling companion, whose head was tilted to the side in the manner of a soldier listening to his comm.

"What's up?"

There was a pause, then Tucker replied in a curt voice. "Jaing says that the guards are catching onto his position – he's had to move our ship a few times to avoid being spotted. Sounds like Fives' girlfriend is okay where she's waiting, though; Jaing thinks your brothers have reached her."

Relief expanded in Rex's chest, and he gave a swift nod.

Tucker paused again, then glanced back at the captain. "Our way out isn't far...just down that next corridor and to the right. We're close, but we're also running out of time."

Rex tightened his grip on the deece even as the sounds of footsteps echoed in the corridor adjacent to their position. "Understood. Once this wave of guards passes, we'll make a break for it."

Silence, save for the clumping of nearby boots and the stutter of Rex's heart within his chest; adrenaline was coursing through his veins, but he held the feeling to run in check until he needed it. Suddenly, he heard the soft _hiss_ of an unsealing bucket. When he looked back at Tucker, the other clone had rested his bucket on his bent knee – they were both crouching beside one another – and was studying him intently. There was confusion in his gaze, along with something that Rex identified as _need_, as if the commando was desperately trying to assess the captain.

"You're not bad in a fight," Tucker murmured. "You seem like you have a decent head on your shoulders. But you're a clone. You're just like me...what is it about _you_? What is it that she fell in love with?"

_I didn't get her pregnant and then take off like a coward. _Rex felt his jaw clench and his fists tighten around the grip of the deece. "We're nothing alike."

Tucker's face darkened. A moment later, however, he gave Rex another discerning look and shrugged, the movement painfully, deliberately casual. "Must be, I guess. She picked _you_, didn't she?"

"Why are you doing this?" Rex asked, not willing to get into a debate about Brenna's affections at the moment. "You and your friends could be captured, or worse. Why are you going through all this trouble for someone you seem to consider a rival?"

Okay, so he wasn't _quite _above a debate, but Rex thought it was a fair question, and they had a few minutes to spare. To his credit, Tucker didn't waste a moment to think over his response. "I'm doing it for her, _di'kut_."

Rex thought that his face must have shown surprise, because the commando gave a heavy sigh and scrubbed his forehead with his hand, the motion seeming to convey an overwhelming sense of loss. "I know that she doesn't love me as I love her. I know that nothing I can do _now_ will fix what I did in the past...but still. I have to do _something _right, even if it's too little, too late. Even if it's helping the likes of _you_."

"I suppose that's where we're similar," Rex replied at once, frowning over the realization.

The commando's eyes tightened. "Could you do the same thing, if our roles were switched?"

It was Rex's turn to answer without hesitation, and as he spoke he could see Bren and Iri in his mind's eye. "If it meant keeping Brenna safe – and keeping my daughter safe – I'd go to any lengths. Nothing would be too much; nothing would be too difficult. If she or Iri was in trouble, nothing in this galaxy could keep me from protecting them as long as I could draw a breath."

For a moment there was silence, even the sounds of footsteps had stopped, then Tucker inhaled once, swiftly, as if he were about to speak.

However, he was prevented from doing so by a burst of blaster-fire on either side of the men that made Rex and Tucker both swear loudly; they'd been distracted by their conversation only to be ambushed by the guards. Without the sound dampers that would have been in his kit, battle was kriffing louder than he recalled.

For a few moments Rex's world shrank to the corridor, to the shrill call of weapons and to the furious, adrenaline-fueled lash of his heart against his ribs; if he died now, if he fell here and did not get up from this fight, he would never see Brenna again.

Terror snagged at his hands, urged them to tremble and ruin his aim, but he held the feeling at bay and kept his aim steady. When it came down to it, this was a situation that he'd been in any number of times, except this time he had something _real _he was fighting for. It didn't matter that he was without his kit or his brothers; Rex was determined to survive and see the woman he loved, no matter what. He fired on the Spaartis, ducking and rolling to avoid their answering rounds, blinking every so often to clear his eyes of the smoke and hiss of burning plasma that threatened to blind his sight. The air was acrid and thick. Something pricked his shoulder, but he hardly felt the pain of the graze.

Beside him, Tucker was a dervish.

Rex had never fought alongside a commando before; they were strictly spec-ops guys, working in small, tightly-knit squads on missions that were a far cry from the full-scale battles with which he was familiar. There were jokes among the ranks that commandos were a breed apart from the "regular" clones like Rex and Fives, with the only others holding that distinction being the original, Jango-trained ARC troopers, and – of course – the famous Nulls.

_Too good for the rest of us._ They were words said with an odd mixture of pride and resentment, and Rex had felt a similar sentiment echoed in his own heart on more than one occasion.

Now, though, he saw that there was some truth to the words, if not the sentiment. Tucker moved faster than almost any clone the captain had ever encountered, even encumbered by the armor as he was. Rex was no slacker, not by a long shot, but there was something unreal about the commando's movements, all of which were diamond-sharp and deadly. There had been at least a dozen guards who'd set upon the two of them; several minutes into the battle, only two remained, and Rex counted most of the bodies in front of the commando.

The last two guards fell, and for a moment Rex and Tucker stood in the abrupt, after-battle haze of curling smoke from spent muzzles and the final groans of soldiers, then they looked at each other.

Tucker's nose was bleeding; he absently wiped the crimson trickle away with his glove and nodded to the passage behind Rex. "Let's move out."

As they turned to leave, they heard another clone voice behind them, several meters from their position. "Stop right there, _traitors_. Drop your weapons."

"More of them?" The commando sounded irritated as he and Rex glanced over their shoulders to see another contingent of guards. "Can't these barves take a hint?"

A quick glance at his power-pack indicated that his weapon was at half-charge; it wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing. "We can do it," Rex murmured, holding the visored gaze of the guard who'd spoken. "We just have to-"

Tucker shook his head; he hadn't had time to replace his bucket, and it swung at his side at the movement. "We've wasted enough time. Go."

"What?"

The commando exhaled and raised his blaster as if he was about to surrender. "Did you hear me, or are you defective? Go. _Now_. I can handle them long enough to cover you."

Rex frowned as the guards began to inch forward, blasters trained on the two clones in their midst. To stall, he raised his own hands as if he were surrendering as well. "We have better odds if we fight together-"

"Sithspit," Tucker growled. "That's a load and we both know it. Look-" Here, he paused and shot Rex a glance that was filled with remorse. "I don't like you, not even a little, but _she_ loves you...and I made a promise. Get back to her."

The guards drew closer, seemingly mollified with the "surrender." For the briefest moment, Tucker's eyes closed, and when he spoke again his voice was soft and very full. "Take care of my girls, Rex."

"I-"

Eyes open again and upon him, Tucker's gaze was searing. "Please."

There was nothing Rex could do but nod. "I will."

With that, the commando's movements became a blur. He nodded once, shoved his bucket on his head and began to open fire on the guards even as he plummeted towards them, causing many of the Spaartis to jump back in alarm. For a moment they were all distracted with what was essentially a one-man-army, too much to notice Rex as the captain took a breath and turned away, towards the corridor that he knew would lead him to safety.

As he sprinted, he glanced back once. At first he couldn't make out Tucker; at first all he could see were streaks upon streaks of blaster-bolts, until a guard stepped to one side and he caught sight of a gray armored form collapsing to the floor, buried beneath a hail of plasma.

* * *

_Hours later..._

It was late afternoon on Alderaan.

Brenna watched the sun start its descent to the mountains; she knew that within a few hours it would sink behind the rocky peaks and bathe them in golden light, after which the sky would darken to indigo and stars would appear above her head like scattered chips of diamond. A gentle breeze tugged at the hem of her shirt, sending the hairs on her arms to standing up despite the warmth of the sunlight on her back, and she fought back the urge to wrap her arms around her waist. Instead, she hugged Iri closer to her chest and breathed in her daughter's scent.

It was the only thing that served to ease her frayed nerves, because Rex should have already been back. Fives had comm'd – briefly – to say that they'd all made it off Coruscant safely, but the transmission had been cut off before he could give an ETA, and Brenna didn't know how much more _not knowing_ she could handle. The plan was for the clones and Marliss to land on her mother's ranch, itself on the outskirts of any civilized area, so that they would remain undetected.

From there...

Well, once she had Rex in her arms again she could think about the next step, but for now she couldn't consider anything beyond that singular goal.

Once her part of the rescue had been completed, Brenna's only obstacle was to wait; she thought that slicing into the RJC systems from Alderaan in order to muck up their comms was far easier than _waiting. _

_At this rate, I'm going to age twice as fast, right along with Rex. _

"Mama?" Iri's face was worried; she'd been remarkably quiet, watching the sky with Brenna for about half an hour now, but it was only a matter of time before her attention flagged.

"Yes, honey?"

There was a pause, then Brenna felt a light touch against her cheek; Iri's eyes, honey-brown and wide, met her own. "Mama cry?"

Brenna glanced down at Iri's fingers and noted that they were wet. A brush with the back of her hand against her eyes revealed the source. She wanted to shelter her daughter from this moment, but her heart was too heavy with fear, and the look in Iri's eyes indicated that the little girl knew something was _wrong_. "I'm scared," she admitted, looking back at the sky. "I don't know where Rex is. I don't know if he's safe."

Iri nodded sagely, then leaned forward to embrace her mother's neck. "Rex okay, Mama."

It was a strange thing to laugh even as desperate fear clutched at her heart. "I hope so, sweetheart."

There were footsteps behind her; a glance over her shoulder revealed the forms of Caith, Edme – a small, dark-haired boy holding her hand – and Jensine approaching through the grassy pasture from the direction of the main house. As her family surrounded her, Caith placed a hand on her shoulder and Jensine stood at her side, one hand lifted to shield her eyes from the slanting sunlight.

"No sign of them yet, I take it?" Caith asked. Brenna shook her head and he nodded, squeezing her shoulder. "We've got the rooms ready to go; Ed and I brought enough food to feed a small army."

"Which is what we're getting, by the sounds of it," Jensine added, shooting Brenna a speculative look. Once Brenna had learned that Rex would be accompanied by Fives, Kix, Jesse and possibly more clones, she'd fallen into a slight state of panic, because they needed medical care and food and shelter...none of which she was able to provide.

However, her mother had surprised her by insisting that the clones stay in her house for the time being – rent-free, though Brenna was working out how to slip her mother the necessary funds to pay for all of this – and Caith and Edme had offered to stay a little while and help the men settle in.

Although none of them knew what would happen to the clones in the newly-formed Empire, it was likely that they'd be treated as deserters, and thereby be wanted men, men whom it would be dangerous to shelter. Brenna had explained all of that to her mother; Jensine had stubbornly refused to be cowed, and then had told Brenna to make herself useful and air out her old room, then collect every bandage and bacta-swab she could find.

The truth was, Brenna had no idea if her mother was doing all of this to further the peace between them, or if she just wanted the extra hands – talk had been made of having the clones help out with the quagga if they wanted and were able – but for most of the past day she'd been too worried to care much about her mother's reasons. Ultimately, she trusted Jensine and that would have to be enough.

Brenna shifted the toddler's weight to her other hip and glanced at her mother again. "Thank you for being so accommodating, Mom. I know this a lot to spring on you at the last minute."

Jensine lifted her hand in a dismissive gesture. "It's the least we can do, Brenna. You know I've never been one to turn folks in need away. Besides," she added with a tilt of her head towards the quagga stables. "It will be good to have a full house again, I must admit."

Iri glanced between her elder relatives, then looked back at Brenna. "Full house, Mama?"

Something within Brenna's throat was tight and her eyes were hot, but a deep breath helped her collect herself. "Rex is bringing some of his brothers," she explained, shooting her mother a grateful look over Iri's blonde baby-curls. "They need a place to stay for a little while."

Suddenly, Edme lifted her hand and gestured to the sky, towards the sun. "What's that?"

Everyone squinted. They'd had a few false alarms already, and while Brenna told herself not to get her hopes up, not to get too excited, because if it wasn't him she'd be crushed all over again, Iri began to squirm in her arms. "Ship! Ship!"

Brenna tried to calm her, but Iri continued shrieking. "Ship! Mama...ship!"

If she strained, she could hear the distinctive growl of a repulsor; moments later, a dark blotch seemed to loosen itself from the sun and began to approach the pasture that surrounded Brenna and her family, themselves standing at the foot of Zephyr Mountain.

It was a roundish, dingy-looking freighter of some kind, but Brenna hardly noticed the shape of the vessel; as it came to rest on the ground, the grass rippled beneath the landing struts, and when the hatch began to lower she found herself moving forward with Iri still in her arms. There was steam from the hydraulics that powered the descending ramp, but it was immediately brushed back by the ubiquitous Alderaani wind.

The wind swept the steam away and revealed the man she loved.

Brenna's heart leaped to her throat when she saw Rex exiting before the other clones and Marliss. At first he edged down the ramp carefully, squinting in the light, but she knew the moment that his eyes fell on her because his entire face changed. Caution fled, replaced by a joy that matched her own. As she gripped Iri tighter, she began to run full-throttle across the grass.

They met in the swaying grass, meters from the ship. One moment the space around her and Iri was empty; the next they were surrounded by Rex's arms and his mouth was on her own. It was real, he was there, it wasn't a dream. Brenna wanted to cry but she was too busy kissing him, too grateful to do anything but kiss him and wrap her free arm around his waist even as the force of his embrace picked both her and Iri off of the ground.

For one moment she was weightless.

When he set her down, they pulled apart and looked at each other; she realized that his face was wet, too, and that he had a few new cuts and bruises, but otherwise he looked as he had the last time she'd seen him, sans armor. Relief, overwhelming relief swept through her even as she watched him assessing her in much the same way.

However, when he opened his mouth to speak, Iri giggled again. "See, Mama? Rex okay."

Rex gave the child a look that was filled with warmth, and something within Brenna unfurled with happiness at the expression on his face as he regarded her daughter. "I am now, Iri."

* * *

_This was originally "the end," but it felt a little abrupt and there were some things that I wanted to start establishing so that this fic and the sequel will sort of "flow" into each other, hence the next two chapters. _

_Tucker. Sigh. You __probably sa__w his death coming, but I hope it still made an impact; he's a good guy, after all. I hated to kill him off, but it needed to happen for a number of reasons, and I am rather fond of his "last words," which will play a role later on.  
_

_Next time: what's the best way to start a new life? With breakfast, of course! ;)  
_

_Thank you for reading!  
_


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-Three**

The next time Rex woke, he was...comfortable. It was as disorienting as it was unexpected, and for several moments after his consciousness returned, he tried to assess his surroundings before opening his eyes, an old soldier's trick.

He was touching a number of things that were soft and warm: against his head, along the length of his body, and curled in the crook of his shoulder. He could smell Brenna's shampoo, which made him relax as he realized that she was the source of most the warmth that was pressed against him. Another moment's observation indicated that he was in a bed, covered with sheets and blankets, and that his head was resting on a downy pillow.

A soft chirrup further disoriented him and he tensed automatically, realizing after a moment that it was only a bird-call, though it sounded quite clear and close by. Something soft and sweet slipped across his face; an inhale told him that it was a breeze, carrying the scent of growing things.

After all of this, Rex opened his eyes and looked up into the wooden beams of a ceiling, before which he could make out streaks of slanting light filtering in from a window behind his field of vision. Motes of dust danced on the air, caught by the breeze that was shuffling in through the open window, and he was confused again as his eyes darted around the room. A slender shelf filled with holo-books and flimsies stood in one corner, with a small, wooden desk beside it, before another window that was covered with old-fashioned glass panes. Through careworn blue curtains he could make out a distant mountain as a streak of gray beneath a clear sky.

The last thing he remembered...

"You're here." Brenna's voice lifted away the bulk of his confusion and replaced it with joy; he exhaled with relief because she was safe and whole, they were together and she was smiling as she leaned up to kiss him.

When they parted, he glanced around the room and gave her a curious look, because he still wasn't _quite_ sure where he was. "Bren...where's _here_?"

Her lips curved into another smile and she settled back against his chest, inhaling his scent before she spoke again. "Alderaan," she replied. "My mother's home. You're all safe; you, Fives, Jesse, Kix, Coric and Marliss arrived yesterday afternoon. I imagine they're all still sleeping...everyone was pretty wiped out after you landed."

There was a pause as he absorbed the information, then she scooted up so that she was partly resting on his chest, her chin on her folded arms. From this angle, he could see that she was clothed – as was he – and her hair was tangled. "You were so exhausted; Caith and I had to all but carry you upstairs. How much do you remember from yesterday?"

Rex smoothed back some errant strands of her hair as he considered. "I remember being on the ship...then I was kissing you." He gave her a half-smile. "That's about where my memory stops."

"Kissing me?" she asked, unfolding her arms and leaning forward. As her lips brushed his she smiled again. "There's more where that came from."

Force, he never wanted to stop kissing this woman; she was warm and so very alive in his arms, and he was filled with gratitude that he was finally with her. He was also humbled, because despite the fact that he recalled little of the journey to Alderaan, or the escape of the previous night, he remembered the sacrifice of the man who'd made this moment possible. It was an odd feeling – gratitude to the one who'd caused Brenna a great deal of pain – but there it was.

When they parted, he met her eyes again, twining his fingers in her already tousled hair. "Tucker didn't make it," he said quietly. "I...I'm sorry."

She nodded. "I heard." After a moment she sighed and rested her cheek back against his chest, her fingertips toying with the thin fabric of his shirt. "I got a message from someone named 'Jaing,' that...let me know."

"We were almost to the exit," Rex said, skimming his free hand along her arm and watching as she listened. "He and I were set upon by a group of guards, and it soon became clear that we were outmatched. Tucker told me to go on," he finished, deciding not to share the commando's last words with her. _Take care of my girls, Rex._ "He...was brave."

Brenna was quiet while she absorbed the words; finally, her eyes brightened and closed, briefly, until she looked back up at him. "Thank you for telling me," she said with a deep breath. "I..I don't know how I'm supposed to feel, but it's good to know what happened."

"I think he really did love you," Rex added, frowning. "Not sure what I'm supposed to feel about _that_, but I think it's true, anyway."

He met her eyes and noted that the brightness had faded, though he could still discern traces of sorrow within their depths. "I love you," she said after a moment, and he watched the sorrow trickle away. "That's what I do know. We can sort the rest out, later."

It was as good a plan as any, and the word 'later' made Rex realize that they had _time._

Well, to a degree, but he decided that he didn't want to think about his own, unnaturally shortened lifespan right now, because she was leaning up to kiss him again. As she did, he felt a familiar quickening in his blood so he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as possible and murmuring her name when they came up for air. Time...they had time, now, more than they'd ever had in the past, and he intended to make the most of it.

Just as he was sliding his hands beneath her shirt to pull it over her head, the door to the room creaked open. Before either of them could do more than turn, the sound of two small, bare feet pattering across the hardwood floor met his ears, and the next thing Rex knew, a bobbing, blonde head appeared at the foot of the bed. "Morning, Mama!"

Shooting him an embarrassed smile, Brenna extricated herself from Rex's arms and leaned over the blankets to scoop up her daughter. "Good morning, sweetheart."

As she placed the child on the bed, Rex silently thanked whatever gods were listening that he was clothed, and that he and Bren hadn't gotten too far into their affections. Granted, he didn't know much about kids, but he figured that finding one's mother and lover in a compromising position was potentially scarring for a youngling.

Anyway, Iri seemed not to notice the adults' flustered natures as she squirmed out of her mother's attempts at an embrace in favor of studying the newcomer. Rex took the opportunity to regard the toddler as well, for this was the first time he'd gotten to see her in person – well, yesterday was really the first time, he supposed, but he didn't think it counted if he didn't remember.

Rex had never seen the biological child of a clone. Irini's eyes were the golden-brown of all his brothers, which might have made for a unusual combination with her fair hair, except for the fact that he shared both traits. Pale skin, long eyelashes; he could see Brenna's nose and chin as well, but the way she looked at him mirrored expressions he'd seen throughout his life.

He wondered what else they would share.

After a moment she gave him a toothy grin and seemed to forget that she'd been avoiding Brenna's arms; she settled into her mother's lap and watched him as she spoke. "'lo, Rex."

She'd been delighted with his formality during past holo-calls, so he thought to try it again in person. "Good morning, Irini," he replied, offering her a salute and trying to ignore the fact that he felt a bit silly doing so in bed, dressed in an old pair of fatigues.

As he'd hoped, the toddler giggled and bobbed her head with excitement, her curls swaying. "Rex...see ponies?"

_Ponies_? He recalled a mention of Bren's mother raising some type of equine, but wasn't sure if that was the correct term, so he shot Brenna a curious look. For reasons he didn't know but resolved to find out, she sighed and cast her eyes to the ceiling. "Don't worry, Iri. I'm sure he'll see them, soon enough."

* * *

Several hours later, Brenna couldn't quite recall her mother's house having ever been this full. When she was younger –when her father was still alive – the station-hands often chose to eat in their own quarters above the stables, and her family was not known for being overly boisterous. No children had been at her mother's house in a number of years, and certainly no group of cloned, ex-soldiers had ever sat at the massive, dining room table, backs ramrod straight and gazes tentative as they watched plates of food being piled before them.

The sight might have been comical had Brenna not been aware that the lives of these men had been completely upturned within a few short days, and she wondered what they were all going to do, now.

Seated beside her at the table, Rex seemed marginally more relaxed than his brothers, but Brenna thought that his good mood could be attributed to the time they'd managed to find alone together once Edme had taken Iri away to get the toddler dressed. While Brenna never meant to shirk her parenting duties, she had been pleased to have an hour or so to spend with just Rex.

They had a lot of catching up to do.

Anyway, it was pleasant to sit and listen to Iri and Tavi's chatter, and watch Fives and the others sneak looks towards the kitchen, where the food was being readied. Although Brenna had tried to help out, she'd been told to keep out of the way, so she was happy to sit by and try to convince Iri to sit still and wait for breakfast. The rich smell of caf wafted up from nearly a dozen mugs, and she could hear something hissing on a frying pan.

Her mother was many things, among them a decent cook; Caith was as well, as was Marliss – much to Brenna and Fives' bewilderment – and the three of them had made a substantial meal out of the supplies that Caith and Edme had brought to the homestead the previous day. Scrambled nuna eggs with cheese, crispy nerf-bacon, and stacks of flat-cakes were already being set out, and Brenna had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from chuckling at the way that the clones' eyes seemed to collectively widen just a bit more with each plate that was set before them.

As Caith brought out a fourth plate of bacon, Rex leaned over and spoke in her ear. "This is all for _us_?"

"It is," she replied with a smile, for he looked incredulous.

After a beat he cleared his throat. "Does your mother know how to make kor vella twists, by any chance?"

Before Brenna could reply, she noticed Marliss approach Fives, who lifted his brow at her as she took the seat beside him. The blonde woman grinned him. "Nice, huh? No ration cubes, here."

"Holy kriffing...er-" Jesse's exclamation was cut off by a sharp glare from Rex, after which the tattooed clone gave Caith a polite smile. "Uh...thank you, Mr. Damaris."

Brenna's brother chuckled. "It's the least we can do...Jesse, right?" The clone nodded and Caith smiled. "You guys helped keep Bren safe all those months, not to mention...well..." He paused and looked a bit uncertain, but pushed forward after a moment. "You fought to keep all of us safe, for three years."

"Hear, hear," Jensine said as she bustled into the room, balancing two plates laden with fresh cut fruit, which Jesse jumped up to assist her with. "And young men like you need _real_ food...not cubes of dried protein."

"Don't look at me," Brenna said as Rex gave her a startled glance. "I have no idea how she knows about ration cubes."

On her other side, Iri shifted in her booster seat and cast a curious look between herself and Rex. "Mama...what's cubes?"

"You don't want to know, kiddo," Rex replied automatically, which made Brenna and the others laugh.

Soon the table was loaded with more food than Brenna thought any of the clones had seen in one place before, judging by the bewildered looks on their faces. Even her unflappable Rex was staring in wonder. Once her mother had taken a seat, there was a moment of absolute stillness, as if the soldiers were terrified to make a movement out of place, but no one in the Damaris family cared much for protocol.

Jensine glanced around at the clones, then gave a deep sigh. "What are you boys waiting for?" she asked with a shake of her head. "Start at the top and eat until you hit table."

"Yes ma'am," Fives grinned, reaching for a plate of nerf-bacon. "That's one order I can follow."

For several minutes there was little noise save the passing of dishes and the clinking of flatware. Once Iri was happily destroying a pile of scrambled eggs – some of which Brenna hoped she'd actually _eat_ – she helped herself to some flat-cakes and settled in to observe the others, noting how Caith and Edme were trying to convince Tavi to at least eat a little fruit along with his bacon. Marliss and Fives were seated close together; the blonde woman caught her eye and gave her a wry smile. They'd hardly had a chance to speak since yesterday, but Brenna figured that would change.

Kix and Coric were eating quietly; the former was sporting a bandage on his chest and his arm was in a sling while the latter had a set of crutches leaning on the wall behind him. After all the clones' wounds had been tended to, they'd dressed in some of Caith's old clothes, and any similarities in their appearances were lessened by the effect. While most of the borrowed clothing was careworn and faded, no shirt nor pair of trousers was the same, and if Brenna didn't look too closely, none of the young men seated at her mother's table looked quite as identical as she remembered.

As if reading her mind, Rex cleared his throat and glanced up at Jensine. "Mrs. Damaris...my brothers and I can't thank you enough for your hospitality."

At his words, the others broke into a similar chorus of polite voices, and Brenna watched as her mother nodded with approval, the lines around her eyes crinkling as she smiled. "You're welcome, young man."

"This food is _amazing_," Jesse said, his words a bit garbled as his mouth was filled with flat-cake. "I don't think I could stomach a ration cube ever again."

"I imagine you won't have to," Marliss replied, sitting up a bit straighter and sipping her caf. "I don't think anyone here is going to return to the GAR."

Now that Tavi was settled, Edme nodded, thoughtfully spearing a piece of fruit with her fork. "It's all over the Holo-Net," she added with a frown. "The War's over and there's no Republic anymore. Apparently, we're part of the new _Galactic Empire_."

Beside her, Brenna felt Rex tense, and she placed a hand on his knee in a gesture of silent support as he spoke. "What else have you heard?"

Edme shot him a remorseful look. "There are a thousand rumors, of course, but not much that can be substantiated. All I know for certain is that the Republic has been reorganized; I've heard that the regional governors that were set in place during the last year or so are to be given more control, and the Senate seems to be something of a meaningless figurehead, now."

"But none of that matters so much out here," Jensine replied with a shake of her head. "Alderaan may be in the Core, but we tend to keep our heads down, here in the mountains."

There was a beat of silence, during which Brenna watched Rex and Fives exchange glances, then Rex spoke again. "What of the Jedi?"

More silence. Jensine set her fork down and gave Rex a careful look, though it was Caith who replied. "They're said to be traitors," he said in a quiet voice. "There was talk of an uprising...it's unclear, exactly, but I know that many of them were killed a few nights ago, and that any survivors are being hunted down as we speak."

"Rubbish, all of it," Jensine said with a scowl. "The Jedi? Rebel against the Republic that they've defended for thousands of years? Unbelievable."

Iri had taken to shoveling bits of egg in her mouth, and Brenna was thankful that her daughter didn't seem to be paying much attention to the conversation of the adults. She took a deep breath and looked at Rex again, noting how he had taken to pushing his food around on his plate as if he'd lost his appetite.

"My brothers and I are wanted men, now," he said suddenly, looking from Brenna to the rest of her family, concern etched on his face. "Harboring us in your home is probably a very dangerous thing to do; I have to say...I'm reluctant to repay your kindness with that kind of trouble."

Jensine, however, was not so easily swayed. "As I said, there's few who trouble themselves with our home," she replied, lifting her chin and squaring her shoulders. "And I imagine the new _Empire_-" The word was said with a scowl, "-has other things to worry about than a few rogue soldiers."

Rex didn't look convinced, but Brenna saw Jesse and Coric nodding thoughtfully as Kix and Fives exchanged glances. In her fashion, Jensine pushed onward. "Anyway, have you boys given thought to what you'll do now that you don't have to kill for a living?"

"We didn't kill much in the way of wets, ma'am," Jesse spoke up. "Organics, I mean. Just droids, mostly."

"Well, you're welcome to stay here in the meantime," Jensine replied, glancing between the clones, her eyes falling on Brenna, last. "There are few droids about, but do any of you know about quagga...?"

"No, Mom," Brenna said at once, setting down her fork and shaking her head, which caused Rex and the others to look at her in alarm. "The guys aren't a source of free labor for you, okay?"

"I was going to offer _paid_ work, Brenna. Honestly."

She exhaled and looked at Rex, then the others in turn. "You don't have to work here if you don't want to," she said. "You're free to do as you like, all of you."

There was quiet for a moment, during which time the clones exchanged glances, then looked back at Jensine; surprisingly, it was Kix who spoke up, first. "What are quagga, ma'am?"

"Ponies!" Iri's voice broke over the others and even Brenna had to chuckle, despite her misgivings about her mother's motives.

"This is a livestock ranch," Caith explained after a moment. "There is always work that needs to be done, and Mom has had a shortage of help, lately. However, Brenna is right; none of you are obligated to remain here if you don't wish to."

Again, there was quiet, though it was of the more thoughtful kind. After several moments, during which a silent conversation seemed to ensue between the clones, Rex sat up. "If you'll have us, ma'am, I think we'd like to stay on for a little while."

"Excellent," Jensine replied, nodding. "I should warn you: it's hard work, sometimes."

"I think we'll manage, ma'am," Jesse said with a smile.

Beside her, Brenna felt Rex shifting in his seat, so she reached for his hand and laced their fingers together. Everything in his world had changed in a matter of days, and she figured that it would take a bit of time for him and his brothers to adjust; happily, she was here to help the process along. When he met her eyes, she gave him the warmest look she could manage and squeezed his hand. His face, which had been tense, relaxed a bit and he nodded as he squeezed back.

Across from them, Fives cast Marliss a speculative look, as if he was trying to ask her a question without words. In response, the blonde woman glanced towards Jensine again. "You mentioned that you'd pay them?" At Jensine's nod, Marliss looked back at Fives. "It might not be a bad idea, for a little while."

"You think you'd want to stick around?" the ARC – the former ARC, Brenna supposed – asked.

A faint smile played on Marliss' lips even as she gave a casual shrug. "For a bit, if I can. Not like I can go back to my old job."

"Yes, the government tends to look down on those who 'borrow' and modify its property without permission," Fives said with a chuckle, clearly pleased with her answer. "Good thing you have me to keep an eye out for you, Miss Menin."

"Well, you can cook well-enough," Jensine replied with a swift nod at Marliss. "Any other skills?"

Fives opened his mouth to reply, but snapped it shut after a combined glare from Rex and Marliss, the latter of whom glanced back at Jensine and mentioned her work with hyperdrives and engines. Following this, the talk turned to further planning; by the time that everyone had finished eating, it had been decided that the clones and Marliss would stay in the Damaris home until...

Well, no time frame had been established, but Brenna was too grateful for the press of Rex's hand to hers to think much past _right_ _now_.

"Alright then," Jensine said, rising from her chair and casting a knowing look at the younger folks assembled before her. "Time to begin. Who wants to help me mend some fences in the far pasture, and who wants to clean up?"

* * *

_Rex's kor vella twist comment is a nod to a fic that _**Queen**_, _**LongLiveTheClones**_ and myself collaborated on: _Captain Rex and the Last Cheese Pretzel_. It's in my favorites tab, as well as on Queen's author page. :)_

_One more chapter to go! Thank you for reading!_


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty-Four**

_About an hour later..._

Wind slipped under his shirt and grazed the top of his head, but the sun was warm on Rex's back as he, Fives and Jesse watched Caith demonstrate how to repair the old-fashioned wood and wire fence that bordered this section of Mrs. Damaris' land.

The pasture where they stood ended at the top of a relatively small hill which overlooked the sprawling valley that was adjacent to the Damaris' territory; in the distance, Rex could see a cluster of charcoal-colored mountains rising above more green than he'd ever observed in one place, which was saying something.

It was mid-spring here. Patches of snow still clung to the highest peaks, themselves wreathed in mists and clouds that had not yet been burnt away by the sun. The sky itself was a clear, unwavering blue, and the surrounding area felt peaceful.

"Wouldn't an energy-fence be more practical?" Fives was asking. "This seems to be a little...quaint."

Caith was showing them where the wires that wrapped around the wooden beams of the fence had come loose from the metal latch that held them in place. Beyond their position, Rex could see a line of fence that seemed to stretched out forever over the rolling, grassy hills.

"It's worked for a long time," Brenna's brother replied. "I know it may seem odd, but it's really very practical."

After he spoke he pursed his lips and glanced towards Mrs. Damaris; she was watching the demonstration with one hand on her hips, the other holding on to Caith's son, Tavi, who'd insisted on coming along with his father. However, Rex noted that the boy seemed more interested in the cloned soldiers than in mending a broken fence, as his eyes kept flicking from clone to clone and his expression indicated that he was curious.

"Running power all the way out here is inherently risky as well," the elder woman said, her voice lifting over the wind. "With this area being so far from the house, it would need to be checked several times a week – if not daily – to ensure that it still worked. When those things fail, you're out of luck. At best, you have a breach in your territory where the stock could escape; at worst...well, aside from predators, there've been fires on other folks' land before, started by sparks from failed energy fences. Technology will only work so well, but I'd prefer to rely on things I can touch and feel."

As he listened to Mrs. Damaris speak, Rex thought that she didn't look too much like Brenna; he could see similarities in facial structure, of course, but overall Jensine Damaris reminded him of no one he could recall meeting. Her mannerisms struck him as being more like that of a drill sergeant on Kamino than a ranch-owner, though admittedly he didn't know the first thing about ranches, or quagga, for that matter. Well, he knew that Brenna didn't care for the creatures and that Iri did, but he had no firsthand experience with which to base any knowledge. Yet.

That, he knew, was going to change in the next few weeks.

Caith slid the wire into its place, the latch catching with a satisfying snap, then gave the whole thing a good tug before he stood up. "These fences are made to last longer than any energy shield; the parts are all interchangeable and they're remarkably sturdy."

"Can I help, dad?" Tavi asked, forgetting his fascination with the clones for a moment as he watched his father.

Nodding, Caith used his gloved hand to rub affectionately at the boy's head, then glanced at Rex; there was a question in his gaze, but as of yet he'd said nothing to the clone.

Squinting, Jesse indicated the segment of fence that was stretched before them, following the ridge of the hill as far as they could see. "Sounds easy enough. All this needs to be checked?"

"I think the most efficient way is to set yourselves up in pairs at intervals, alternating segments between workers until you meet one another at a central point," Mrs. Damaris said, her voice ringing with confidence, as if she'd done this many times. "Hopefully we can get this section done today. I can take two of you down the line, while Caith can help out the remaining fellow, here."

Rex cast another glance at the sweeping scenery around them, then looked back at his brothers. "You heard her, men: Jesse, Fives – go with Mrs. Damaris."

Soon enough, he watched as the other clones boarded the rickety speeder that the group had driven out here and skimmed off over the grass. Once they'd gone he glanced back at Brenna's brother, who was studying him again, and this time Rex thought he had an idea of what Caith was thinking; there was no mistaking the protective look in the other man's eyes, and Rex figured a talk of some sort was coming.

However, nothing was said for a few minutes, during which they worked in relative silence. All of the clones had been given leather gloves to protect their hands, and it was easy to fall into a rhythm with the repairs to the fence: checking the line of connecting wires that ran up each post and fastened into a corresponding eyelet. Some of the eyelets had broken off and had to be replaced; some wires had simply come undone. It was not difficult work, but Rex could see that it would be time-consuming and taxing over a long period of time, so he was glad that he and his brothers could be of help.

During the escape from the RJC, his shoulder had been grazed by a blaster-bolt, but the injury caused him little more than an ache that was easily ignored. In many ways, Rex found it difficult to believe that his life had changed so completely from when he'd received the wound; crouched before a wooden fence in the Alderaani mountains was a far cry from running for his life in a Republic prison, or from any of his old missions for the Republic, actually.

_No, not Republic: Empire,_ he told himself as he reached for a spare eyelet to replace one that had rusted off. _Emperor, not Chancellor._

He still didn't know the whole story behind _that _title-change. Probably no one did, not really, and admittedly the political machinations of the upper-echelons of government had never interested him overmuch. His focus had always been his brothers, the men whose lives were in his hands. They were what mattered, not politics, even though he knew that the army's fate had always been tied to the decisions of the Senate.

But the Senate was far away now – not just from him, but from the entire galaxy, it seemed – and most of his brothers were gone, dead or just too far away, right now. The few who remained with him were still his responsibility, and together they all had to learn to live in this new world.

As for the Jedi...well, he had to trust that Ahsoka was safe; Kenobi, Skywalker, and the others he'd served with were resourceful and clever, and he hoped that they had found ways to escape the fate that had befallen so many of their comrades.

Rex gave a deep exhale and moved on to the next section of fence, because there was nothing he could do about the Jedi right now. As Brenna had suggested, it was probably best to take things one day at a time.

"Looks good." Caith's voice broke him out of his thoughts several minutes later; looking up, Rex watched Brenna's brother kneel down beside him, running a hand along the post Rex was working on. "You're a fast learner."

"Bred for it," he replied with a nod. "And it's no more complicated than assembling a DC-17."

"Is that a blaster you fight with?" Tavi asked, his face alight. The dark-haired boy was clad in a pair of smaller gloves that were still quite big on his hands, and his eyes on Rex – a warm brown, just like Brenna and her brother's – were wide with curiosity.

"It was," Rex replied with a glance at Caith. "But I don't have one any longer."

Disappointment crossed the boy's face, but Caith gave his son a smile. "How about you go check the next few sections for us? Let us know how many new hooks we'll need."

"By myself?" When Caith nodded, Tavi looked pleased, and made his way to the next section of fence, still within sight but far enough away that he likely couldn't hear anything the adults said.

Once Tavi was out of earshot, Caith looked at Rex. "You and the others seem like decent fellows," he said without preamble as both knelt before the fence-post. "But I have to admit that I have...doubts."

"That's understandable," Rex replied in an even voice. "You don't really know any of us."

"True. And, as you can probably guess, we – my family and myself – took a rather significant leap of faith when we decided to help Bren out and bring you guys here."

Rex took a breath and held Caith's eyes. "We won't cause you any trouble. Matter-of-fact, if there's even a whisper that our presence is endangering your family in any way, we'll leave at once."

"See, that's what I'm afraid of," Caith replied, shaking his head as he ran his hands along the fence-post. "Brenna...she loves you, Rex. Force knows I thought – and hoped, I have to say – she'd never fall for another clone, but she did. I'm concerned for my family's safety, of course, but I'm also concerned for my little sister's heart."

Before Rex could say anything, Caith dropped his hands and stood up, causing Rex to follow. "I need to know that her trust in you isn't misplaced, because I think that if you were to leave...she'd follow you, and she'd take Iri with her. That's a rather big responsibility for anyone, let alone a man with your background."

It was actually a rather tactful way to phrase what the other man was undoubtedly thinking, especially considering that the last – and only – clone Caith had encountered before Rex and his brothers was one who'd impregnated Brenna and then fled the scene. Something inside Rex tightened with indignation and with fear. The words were true; when it came to staying with Brenna and Iri, he had no doubt that he _would _want to, but before now he hadn't had time to consider – to seriously consider – if he _could_.

Behind Caith's head, the sky was starting to be streaked with wispy, upper-level clouds and the wind seemed to drop as Rex considered his reply. "I have no intention of leaving her – for _any_ reason. I want to stay by her side for as long as I'm able. I regretted not doing so the first time I had the chance, but in the end, I made the best decision that I could at the time. Now, though..."

Rex paused and looked at the distant mountains; there was so much space here, it was a bit disorienting to someone who had begun his life in a decanting jar and spent the most of the rest within the close quarters of a starship. "Now, I think I'm where I need to be. I know I'm where I _want_ to be, because the woman I love is here, and if I have to choose again, I'll choose to be where she is, every time.

"As for responsibility," he added, glancing back at Caith, whose eyes had flicked to the small boy a few times in the past minute or so. "I'm no stranger to others relying on me. Granted, I've never been a father, but if that's what I need to become in order to remain with Brenna and Iri, than that's what I'll do. Happily."

"That's commendable," Caith replied with a nod. "But loving someone and being a father are more challenging than you can possibly understand. I mean no disrespect," he added. "Force knows I'd be useless on a battlefield, but from what I know of clones...this type of thing is far from your area of expertise."

Yes, there was a bitterness to the way that Caith spoke of clones, but Rex thought that with time he could change the other man's opinion. "I have no intention of leaving Brenna and Iri," he said at last, injecting his words with every iota of conviction he could muster and holding Caith's eyes with his own. "Unless she wants otherwise, I'll be by her side as long as I'm able."

It was a painful thought, not only the idea that Brenna might not want him around one day, but the realization that it may not matter, because he might not live long enough for her get tired of him. However, he thought that Caith appreciated the acknowledgment, for the other man nodded slowly. After a moment, Caith sighed and leaned against the fencepost, regarding Rex thoughtfully. "I'm glad to hear that."

"I'm glad I'm able to say it."

Caith chuckled, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair, before glancing at the clone again. "She was right; you're nothing like Tucker."

_Take care of my girls, Rex. _

No, not nothing. No clone was the same, but Rex thought that – while he would have done many things differently than the commando – there were worse things than sharing his face with a man who'd given his life for the well-being of those he cared for.

However, it felt like too much to explain to Caith right now, so Rex nodded. "We have our differences. _Had_, rather."

"_Had_. Right." Caith grimaced and looked away, towards the mountains. "I heard that he died; I wish I could say I was sorry, but he caused Brenna too much pain for me to really regret it. Anyway," he added with a sigh as he met Rex's eyes again. "That's the past, and I think it's best if we try and move on. Brenna seems like she's done so, and I have to admit that she's made a better choice in you, so far. So, as long as you're welcome in her life, you're welcome in mine."

Rex nodded again, not quite sure what to say, other than "thank you." There was a clinking sound behind them; both men turned to see Tavi frowning over the next fencepost. Surreptitiously, Rex studied Caith as the other man watched his son. "He seems like a good lad," Rex said suddenly, nodding to the boy.

"He's the best," Caith replied with the same smile that Brenna wore when she spoke of Iri. "Ed and I are so proud." He paused, then looked back at Rex with a trace of wryness in his gaze. "I know you're not ready to be a parent, but I don't think anyone ever is, so I'll help you out if you like. Not that I'm an expert, but I've got about six years on you."

Thinking of Iri, Rex gave a smile. "Thank you. I'm glad I'll have a chance to learn from your experience."

Caith nodded as well, then indicated the fence. "We'd better get back to work. Mom's quite the drill sergeant when she wants to be."

"I had a similar thought, actually," Rex admitted as he glanced back at the fence. "But I really am grateful of the opportunity she's giving myself and my brothers."

At this, Caith let out a snort of laughter, and clapped Rex on the back. "Just remember that feeling once your hands are covered in blisters and you're too sore to walk. And in the meantime..." He paused, then grinned. "Welcome to the family, Captain."

Rex looked at the mountains and inhaled deeply. "Not 'Captain,' any longer, Caith," he replied. "Just 'Rex.' And thank you...I'm happy to be here."

* * *

As it turned out, Caith hadn't been kidding about the blisters and being sore. By the time Rex, Fives and Jesse made it back from the far pastures, Rex thought that he had never been so tired in his entire life. When Rex, Fives and Jesse reached the Damaris' house, they met Kix and Coric – who'd returned from the stables a few hours ago – and received orders to rest; Rex had also been informed that Brenna and the others were still at the stables, doing something with the infamous quagga, but they'd be back soon. Edme was in the house as well, and mentioned something about dinner later.

After making sure that his brothers were okay, Rex chose to take a shower and change his clothes before finding his way to the front porch, because he wanted to _sit_, but also wanted to be outside.

It was that point of early evening where the sun was just starting to dip below the horizon, and the formerly blue sky was slowly being replaced with layers of violet, saffron and pink hues that were catching on the clouds that had remained. Planets and the brightest stars were starting to appear, and crickets were singing to the coming dusk.

There was a wooden bench of some kind on the porch, hanging from two chains in the ceiling; a cursory examination indicated that his weight would be supported, so Rex took a seat. Exhausted from a day of physical labor unlike any kind he'd ever known, his body sank into the wooden slats and the bench began to rock slightly, the chains creaking in the air. At first he glanced up, wary at the sound, but after a few moments of nothing collapsing under him, he was able to relax.

It was quiet, here.

Beyond the grass that sloped away from the house, he could see a mountain, the one that he recognized from the pic in Brenna's old cabin on the _Resolute_. The mountain loomed above the landscape, not ominous, but watchful, and its tip was painted in rich gold by the setting sun. Another breeze rifled through Rex's shirt, and he actually felt a bit chilly. However, he was too tired to do much more than rub at his bare arms, so he just nudged his boots against the porch and listened to the creaking chain of the swing, the crickets, and the wind sifting through the grass.

"There he is." Suddenly, Brenna's voice met his ears, her tone lilting in the manner it did when she was speaking to her daughter. Rex turned and watched as the brown-haired woman and the toddler slipped out of the front door and made their way to him. "Kix said he thought you'd gone outside."

"Rex!" Iri broke free of her mother's hand and scurried towards him, coming to a halt beside Rex's outstretched legs, which he'd braced against the slats of the porch to pause the swing and prevent it from hitting the little girl. "Up? Swing? Please?"

He shot a cautious look at Brenna, who smiled and nodded, so he reached for the little girl; she was more solid than he'd anticipated, warm and small but not so fragile as he'd imagined, and set her beside him on the bench. Immediately, she kicked her legs out, her tiny, stockinged feet barely dangling over the edge, and looked up at him. There was pure delight on her face, which was enough to make him chuckle and tousle her hair. Around them, the wind picked up again, and he wondered if she'd be cold, but Brenna had dressed her in a colorful knitted sweater that looked fairly cozy.

As Brenna sat on Iri's other side, she caught her daughter's attention. "What do you say when someone does as you ask, Iri?"

"T'ank you, Rex," the toddler replied. As he was reaching his arm up to rest over the back of the swing, she scooted so that she was right beside him and leaned her entire body against his torso, giving a deep sigh of contentment as she relaxed into his side.

Rex was a bit flummoxed for a moment, then Brenna moved closer as well and shot him another, warmer smile. He returned the look, and for a few moments they sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the approaching evening and watching the stars appear in the darkening sky.

Over the toddler's head, Rex and Brenna had been able to sit close enough for her to rest her cheek against his shoulder; as he inhaled the scent of her soap and savored the warm press of both the woman he loved and her daughter at his side, he was grateful.

Because he couldn't help himself, Rex shifted his arm so that he could twine his fingers in Bren's hair, which was loose and still a little damp from her shower. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as her eyes closed briefly in pleasure. When they opened again she tilted her head so that he could discern her mouth forming the silent words: _I love you_. In response, he skimmed the curve of her cheek with his ungloved hand.

_I love you, too,_ he wanted to say aloud, but the look in her eyes told him that she already knew.

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

_First of all, thank you thank you thank you to _**Jade-Max_,_**_ whose help, support and advice while writing this story were invaluable. *gugs* Jade!_

___A_** massive thank you**_ to everyone who took the time to review. You guys made TFK my most reviewed story, and your insightful comments and encouragement were always a joy to read; it's one of the best parts of the whole creative process to interact with folks who enjoy your work, and I can never thank y'all enough. :)_

_The sequel, _Worth Fighting For_, can be found on my author page, and I encourage you to check it out! :)_

_Thank you again for reading! _

_Namaste._

_~Lauren_


	45. Preview of Worth Fighting For

Because I love y'all, here's a preview of _Worth Fighting For_, the sequel to _The Fighting Kind._ It (and many other stories!) can be found on my author page.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

_On Alderaan..._

Several hours later, Rex and his brothers were gathered in one of the pastures about a klick from the Damaris house, waiting for Fives and Marliss to return. The day was overcast and a little cooler than the previous one, so Rex was thankful for his warm coat and hat, though he did enjoy the feeling of the brisk air on his cheeks as he peered up through a pair of electrobinoculars. Beside him, standing with his hands in the pockets of his own jacket, Jesse squinted up at the cloudy sky.

"How much longer, do you think?"

Finding nothing, Rex lowered the 'electros. Since he wasn't certain just how the quagga would react to the sight of the freighter that his brother and Marliss had acquired, he and the others had taken a speeder and a few bikes out to the landing-site, itself located at a low gully at the center of the pasture; even though Rex knew that the nearest neighbor was about twenty klicks away, he hoped that the dip in terrain would prevent the ship from being spotted by anyone. "Fives wasn't exactly sure, but I wouldn't think it'd be too much longer, Jess."

At his other side, Coric shaded his eyes with his hands and looked up as well. "I hope not. From what you said, it sounded like Chopper was in pretty bad shape."

"It'll be good to see him again, though," Jesse added, nodding to the 'electros in Rex's hand; the former captain passed them along and the tattooed clone took to peering through them at the sky. "Both of them."

"It will," Coric replied. "I thought the worst had happened to Chopper, I must admit."

Kix nodded but said nothing; all four of them studied the sky for a few moments more, waiting. Since that morning, when Rex had received the somewhat harried comm call from his brother, everything had happened very quickly.

Rex was thankful that Jensine had insisted that Chopper be brought here so that he could recuperate, though he was aware that another pair of hands – when the clone was healed, of course – would come in very handy around the ranch. He was also thankful that there was room on the Damaris ranch for another clone, though he wondered how Chopper would take to civilian life. Brenna and her family were at the house; Rex had thought it might be best to introduce Chopper to them slowly and not immediately surround him with strangers.

Beside him, Kix's voice sounded, quiet beneath the wind. "You said he had other news, too?"

This made Rex's brows knit, for he remembered well enough what had happened the last time that his brother had brought news, but he nodded slowly. "Yeah. Didn't say what, though."

"I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

"Look," Jesse lifted his hand, raising the electrobinoculars to his eyes again. "I think that's their ship."

Sure enough, the clones heard a low buzzing sound that heralded the approach of Fives and Marliss' light freighter that they'd come to know well these last few months. About a minute later, Rex spotted the rounded shadow of the ship as it moved through the lower-level clouds and began the final descent towards the Damaris' property; all of the clones braced themselves as they were buffeted by the wind and dust that the repulsors kicked up when the ship settled onto the grass several meters from their position.

While the whine of the maneuvering thrusters began to lessen, the loading ramp at the ship's side lowered and all the clones watched as Fives emerged, another clone leaning heavily against the former ARC as he shuffled down the ramp. As the trio descended, to be met by Coric and Kix with their medical supplies, Rex caught Fives' eye and gave his brother a relieved smile; it was always a little nerve-wracking waiting for Fives to return, but when he was here Rex couldn't help but feel like his family was complete again.

Fives grinned at him as well, and the group of clones met several paces from the freighter. Immediately, Coric and Kix greeted Chopper then began to assess him for injury; other than a few bruises and scrapes – and a messily-wrapped bandage on his right leg – it appeared that the scarred clone was intact, though Rex caught him flinching as the medics looked him over. During this there was relative quiet. Once the medics had pronounced Chopper fit for the time-being, Rex reached for his brother's right arm, clasping it in his own in a firm gesture of greeting and trying not to notice how stricken the scarred clone seemed as he glanced around with wide, mismatched eyes. "Glad to see you again, _vod._"

Chopper swallowed and nodded, his grip tightening after a pause. "Me too, sir. I mean, I'm glad to see you, that is..."

Rex gave him a smile. "No 'sir,' Chopper. Just Rex."

"Right." Chopper glanced beside him at Fives, who was still helping to support his weight. "Can I walk, now?"

"Don't even think about it," Coric broke in, slipping himself under Chopper's other shoulder. "That leg needs to be properly wrapped, and you need a set of crutches."

"And we all need to talk," Fives added, glancing behind him at the ramp to the freighter, from which Marliss was emerging with a pack slung over her shoulder. Rex nodded to her; in response, she gave him a wry salute and a smile, and he chuckled, thinking that Bren would be happy to see her friend again.

The blonde woman came up to them and put her hand on Fives' waist though she spoke to Rex and the others. "He's right. We have some news."

"Not _bad_," Fives amended, seeing the looks on the others' faces. "Just...well..."

"Interesting," Marliss offered, and the former ARC shot her a grateful smile as he hugged her closer to his side. From there, it was decided that they should reconvene to the house itself, as much to give Coric and Kix a chance to work as to give them all a more comfortable place to speak. Once Marliss was satisfied that her ship would be fine, the group loaded up into the speeder and bikes, then set off for home.

* * *

About half an hour later, Chopper was seated at the Damaris' kitchen table, his leg propped up on an adjacent chair while Coric and Kix bent over him, cleaning and wrapping what looked to be a rather nasty gash. At the entrance of the clones, the "civvies" had vacated the house to tend to the quagga in the paddock, though Bren had paused to kiss Rex on the cheek, mentioning that she had 'good news,' and offer Chopper a wide smile before she whisked Marliss away. Iri had been in her mother's arms, and Rex had felt a gleam of pride when Chopper's eyes had flicked from the little girl to the former captain, though the laconic man didn't say anything about the child.

Chopper hadn't said much at all, actually, but Rex knew that was just his way; he figured that Chopper would speak about his ordeals over the last six months soon, but that it was better to give him space for the time being.

Jesse had put on a pot of caf a little while ago, and for a moment things felt oddly normal, for which Rex was grateful. As Fives sipped his caf, he glanced around the room with appreciation. "It's nice to be on the move, but it's also good to be back here," the former ARC said, his eyes falling on Rex. "Either way, I'm doing things on my own terms."

"We all are," Rex replied, adding another helping of sugar to his caf before drinking. "It's strange, sometimes, but it's a good kind of strange."

Nodding, Fives sat up and cleared his throat; when the others' eyes fell on him he lifted a brow at Rex. "Do any of you remember a long-neck by the name of Nala Se?"

Having finished bandaging Chopper's leg, Coric and Kix exchanged looks, then nodded simultaneously. "She was stationed on Kaliida Shoals MedCenter during the Wars, right?" Kix asked as he began to clean up the remnants of the supplies they'd used. "I remember her. She was one of the more...tolerable Kaminoans."

"The chief physician, if memory serves," Coric added.

Fives nodded. "Word is that she fled Kaliida Shoals after the Wars ended. There are rumors – _only _rumors, mind you – that she's living on Cyrillia, working on a way to normalize our accelerated-aging."

For a moment the silence was so thick Rex thought he'd misheard. As it was he blinked and gave a slight shake of his head as if to clear his ears. "What?"

The former ARC's mouth lifted into a smile. "You heard me, Rex." He sipped his caf again, seemingly calm, though Rex could tell that his brother was inwardly delighted that he was sharing this news. Indeed, a moment later, Fives spoke again. "I've a mind to track her down...see if she needs any help. What do the rest of you think?"

It was almost unreal; it was the closest thing to an answered prayer that Rex had ever experienced, so – naturally – he was uneasy to trust it. If it was true, he knew that he'd want to find her, but if not...well, he was unwilling to risk his new family's safety and stability based on a rumor. "Do you have any more information? Any way to validate the truth of all this?"

"No," Fives replied, shaking his head and glancing down at his mug. "But Mar and I are determined to look into it."

Coric and Kix looked about as skeptical as Rex, and Chopper was expressionless, as if he'd heard all of this before. Jesse's eyes were wide and his voice was a little awed. "But if it is true..."

"Either way, it's worth investigating," Chopper said suddenly, causing all eyes to fall on him. "It's something to hope for."

There was a bitterness to the scarred clone's words, and as much as Rex wanted to console his brother and hear about Chopper's experience since the Wars ended, he glanced back at Fives. "When are you leaving to start looking?"

"We were hoping to at least stay the night, here," Fives replied with a shrug. "After that, we're planning on doing a little more investigation as to the truth of the rumor; if it is true, we can come back and pick up anyone who wants to tag along on this adventure."

He said the words with unusual seriousness, and something in Rex's stomach twisted. Yes, it was what he'd hoped for, but the thought of leaving his family was...

_But it's for the greater good, _he told himself with an inhale. _Not just for us, but for all clones, everywhere._

"There's more." Fives shifted in his chair and sipped his caf. "We heard from Ahsoka again a few days ago."

The mention of his friend's name made Rex's breath catch; he'd known that she was still alive, but that was about it. "And?"

The former ARC paused, then leaned forward and wrapped his hands around his mug, meeting each clones' eyes in turn. "She's working with Bail Organa, and Mar and I are thinking of joining."

Rex knitted his brows, but it was Jesse who voiced the question. "Joining what?"

"A rebellion."

Again, silence filled the room. Finally, Fives leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "It's early days, yet, but there is a resistance to the Empire forming even as we speak. Ahsoka's teamed up with Senator Organa; they're trying to organize everything, and she asked me if I thought I'd like to tag along. I said I'd keep it in mind."

All the clones exchanged glances, but no one said anything for a moment. Rex's mind was reeling; in many ways it was an appealing idea, and he knew that he could definitely be useful to such a worthy cause. But his life – such as it was now – was _here_, and he didn't think he could leave.

"Anyway, that's about it," Fives replied with a shrug, sipping his caf again. "Oh, except Mar and I got married on Zeltros a few weeks ago."

Now, Rex was certain that his brother was relishing the stunned silence, for even as the other clones' jaws dropped – even Chopper's – Fives smirked and leaned back in his chair, setting his mug down so that he could fold his hands behind his head. After a beat, Jesse laughed and slapped Fives' back, the others getting up from their seats to do so as well; when Fives caught his eyes, Rex smiled and shook his head, though his gut had twisted again at the word 'married.'

Jesse lifted his mug and they all toasted their brother. "Married? _You_? I can't even begin to imagine..."

"Yeah, well..." Fives' face actually flamed. "It wasn't a big to-do, just a simple Mando'a phrase, you know? But we figured...why not? We love each other and we wanted to. In the end, it was an easy decision-"

"But it's not an easy decision," Rex interjected, unable to keep quiet any more. "It's a _huge_ responsibility, and there's so much to consider."

Fives arched his brow. "Like what?"

Rex exhaled and shook his head rapidly. "Like the fact that you're going to age at twice a normal rate from her, Fives. What happens if this lead on the long-neck is false, and you die well before she does?"

There was quiet for a moment, and Rex watched with satisfaction as the former ARC frowned as if in consideration. Finally, Fives shrugged and sipped his caf again. "We each live life by our own rules," he said at last, meeting Rex's eyes. "Mar's well-aware of my aging, which is one of the reasons she's so keen on finding Nala Se." He grinned. "Guess she likes having me around. Who knew?"

Again, Rex frowned. Fives' logic was so far-removed from his own point of view, it was impossible for him to understand how his brother could be so cavalier about the aging issue. But, he reasoned, Fives didn't have a child – not yet, Force willing – and therefore might be able to play things a little...looser than Rex could afford to.

With that thought, the wavering sense of calm that he'd felt last night in Bren's arms faded, and he realized with certainty that he would never be able to stop worrying about the pace of his own aging; among all of the other doubts he had about his ability to be a father and husband, the fact that he wouldn't be able to live out a normal life-span with his family was a fault that he couldn't overlook.

He had too much to live for, and not nearly enough time.


End file.
